Senator Seriake Dickson has condemned President Bola Tinubu's handling of the crisis in Rivers State, describing it as "military-style suppression of democracy."
Speaking after President Tinubu's Democracy Day address, Dickson expressed disappointment over the President's silence on the state's emergency rule.
Dickson criticized the President's communication on Rivers State's political appointments, calling it an attempt to entrench "unconstitutional military rule." He warned that such actions undermine the values celebrated on Democracy Day.
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, recalled how President Tinubu’s communication on political appointments made by the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, was read during Thursday’s plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, after which he attempted to raise a constitutional point of order.
“My right as a Senator to raise a constitutional matter was completely ignored. The Senate President rushed through the President’s communication and brushed aside my intervention, That is a blatant suppression and disrespect for parliamentary privilege. The majority may have their way, but the minority must have its say.”he said
The former Bayelsa State governor described the communication from the President as an attempt to entrench “unconstitutional military rule” in Rivers State, warning that such actions were incompatible with the values of Democracy Day.
“It is troubling that, on a day meant to celebrate civil rule and justice, the Senate chose to read an undemocratic communication without challenge. Why choose today of all days to endorse actions that clearly violate the Constitution?”
While acknowledging the President’s Democracy Day speech as “flowery and impressive in tone,” Dickson said there was a glaring disconnect between Tinubu’s words and the current political realities in states like Rivers.
“You cannot claim to be a democrat on paper and trample on democracy in practice. The President missed a golden opportunity today to restore constitutional order in Rivers.”he said
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