The leadership of the National Assembly has reacted to the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the lawmakers of Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
The spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi said that President Tinubu consulted with the National Assembly before his declaration in a Tuesday presidential broadcast.
In a statement, the NASS spokesperson informed the public that Tinubu met with the leadership of the Assembly before making the declaration.
According to Rotimi, the president met with Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President; Abbas Tajudeen, speaker of the house; Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker; Michael Bamidele, senate leader; and Julius Ihonvbere, leader of the house at the Presidential Villa.
Also at the meeting with the president was the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP); chiefs of the military forces; Adeola Ajayi, director-general of the State Security Service (SSS); and Mohammed Mohammed, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
He added that those present at the meeting were fully briefed on the president’s intention about the Rivers crisis.
He said they all unanimously supported the president on his decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspend the governor and other elected officers.
In addition, Rotimi said a letter from the president seeking an approval of a state of emergency in Rivers state would be read on the floor of the House of Representatives today, Wednesday, March 19, for further action.