The Senate has officially acknowledged the receipt of a letter from President Bola Tinubu concerning the six-month suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
However, the Senate has shifted the debate on the letter to 3:00 p.m. today.
Although the motion was listed as the first item on the Order Paper, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) invoked Order 1(b) of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended), requesting that the chamber proceed to the next item instead. His motion was seconded by Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).
Following this, the Senate moved to the second item on the agenda—the confirmation of nominees for appointment to the Police Service Commission (PSC). Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Abdulhamid Mallam-Madori (APC, Jigawa East), presented the report.
In his presentation, he said: “That the Senate do receive and consider the report of the Committee on Police Affairs on the confirmation of the nominations of the following persons for appointment as Members of the Police Service Commission (PSC).”
Earlier, the plenary session did not begin at 11:00 a.m. as scheduled. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, arrived just two minutes before the prayer session, which commenced at 12:41 p.m. The session resumed at 1:05 p.m. with the approval of votes and proceedings.
President Tinubu had on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
In a national broadcast, Tinubu cited prolonged political instability, constitutional violations, and security threats as the basis for the drastic decision.
The crisis in Rivers State has been fueled by a fierce political rivalry between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
As part of the emergency measures, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), former Chief of Naval Staff (2015–2021), as sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs until stability is restored.
More details to follow…