Dickson as Last Man Standing

Former Governor of Bayelsa State and senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, seems to be the only man standing against the declaration of state of emergency on Rivers State, as other voices of dissent have faded away.

After a joint session of the National Assembly to commemorate Democracy Day where President Bola Tinubu spoke, Dickson who thought the president would use the occasion to lift the emergency rule, criticised his silence over what he described as a “constitutional aberration” of the action.

Relying on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, President Tinubu had on March 18, proclaimed a state of emergency following the protracted political crisis in the state. He consequently suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months.

 The president later appointed a former military man, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd), as administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state for the first six months.

Many Nigerians, including Dickson, and civil society organisations had condemned the action.

Following the condemnations and meetings with Fubara, many had thought that President Tinubu would the occasion of Democracy Day to lift the emergency rule in the state.

This is why the former governor accused Tinubu’s administration of enabling a creeping “military-style suppression of democracy” for failing to address the emergency rule foisted on the people of Rivers State in his beautifully written speech.

He said democracy is supposed to inspire hope, but what the people saw in the Senate was a direct assault on that hope.

At the heart of Dickson’s outrage was a communication from the president concerning political developments in Rivers State, read aloud during the plenary session by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

 Dickson alleged that his attempt to raise a constitutional point of order immediately after the announcement was “deliberately shut down”.

He made it clear that his agitation is not about Governor Fubara or political parties but the people of Rivers State and the survival of democracy in Nigeria.