By Ghazali Ibrahim 
The Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to impose a state of emergency in Rivers State, following a closed-door session on Thursday.
This decision comes after the House of Representatives also approved the declaration earlier on Thursday, but with some key amendments.
The House of Representatives proposed that the National Assembly, rather than the Federal Executive Council, should take over legislative functions in the state during the emergency period.
They also suggested establishing a committee of esteemed Nigerians to mediate the crisis and stated that the emergency rule could be reviewed or terminated before the initial six-month period if progress is made towards peace.
President Tinubu declared the state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and state lawmakers, citing security threats and pipeline vandalism as reasons.
However, this move has been met with criticism from opposition leaders, legal experts, and some governors, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar. Despite the backlash, the Federal Government has defended the president’s decision.
