Members of the Rivers State Caucus in the National Assembly have condemned Senator Henry Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West) over his submission on the recent state of emergency declared in Rivers State.
Speaking to newsmen on Friday in Abuja, ten lawmakers from the state expressed “utter dismay”over Senator Dickson’s recent press briefing, in which he criticised the emergency declaration and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to use his June 12 Democracy Day address to reinstate suspended Governor Siminilayi Fubara.
The lawmakers argued that Rivers is not under military rule, insisting that “The current Administrator of the state, Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ibas, is a retired military officer—just as Senator Dickson is a retired police corporal. Neither can be described as a serving military personnel.”
They described Dickson’s reference to the situation as “military rule” as “misleading and intellectually dishonest.”
They argued that the emergency declaration followed a constitutional process due to “rising political instability, executive rascality, and disregard for democratic institutions,” referencing the Supreme Court judgment of February 28, 2025, which stated that “there was no government in Rivers State.”
According to the lawmakers, President Tinubu acted lawfully under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to restore peace and order in the state.
“The bold step averted a full-blown crisis. Without that timely intervention, orchestrated chaos would have crippled governance and civil life,” the statement read.
They also claimed that Governor Siminalayi Fubara himself had publicly appreciated President Tinubu for the intervention, saying:
“Senator Dickson cannot be crying more than the bereaved.”
Furthermore, the caucus accused Dickson of fueling ethnic tension through visits to the suspended governor, and held him partly responsible for Fubara’s political troubles.
“It is extremely unfortunate that a former governor, a serving senator, and a retired police corporal, who by training should uphold law and order, would make comments capable of inciting unrest,” the lawmakers said.
The post You Cannot Cry More Than The Bereaved – Rivers Lawmakers Slam Dickson Over Criticism Of State Of Emergency Declaration appeared first on Naija News.