Isaac Samuel
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, Tuesday inaugurated a 21-member ad-hoc committee mandated to provide legislative oversight on the administration of Rivers State during the ongoing six-month state of emergency.
The committee, according to Abbas, was constituted in line with Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution, following the suspension of the state’s Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the House of Assembly, and the subsequent installation of a caretaker government led by Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had on March 18, 2025, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State. The President cited the breakdown of law and order and threats to peace and governance.
The National Assembly, at a plenary session after deliberations, approved the proclamation with amendments aimed at ensuring democratic safeguards.
Speaking at the committee’s inauguration at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, Abbas observed that the intervention was not politically motivated but a constitutional response to a governance vacuum in the state.
He charged members of the committee to discharge their duties with impartiality, professionalism and utmost diligence.
Members of the committee include House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere as chairman.
Other members of the committee include Idris Wase, Muktar Betara, Sada Soli, Isiaka Ibrahim, Abiodun Faleke, Amos Daniel, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, and Blessing Onuh. Also named are Iduma Igariwey, Shehu Rijau, Oluwole Oke, Etinosa Amadi, Patrick Umoh, James Barka, Alex Egbona, Isa Anka, and Fatima Talba
Abbas also recalled similar interventions in Plateau (2004), Ekiti (2006), and the North-East states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe in 2013, noting that in all cases, the National Assembly stepped in to safeguard constitutional order.
He said: “Today’s inauguration of the 21-member Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State reaffirms our constitutional commitment to transparent governance. Empowered by Section 5 of the State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation 2025 and pursuant to Section 11(4) of our Constitution, this Committee has a clear and non-partisan mandate.
“Its purpose is to monitor the implementation of federal directives and policies in Rivers State, ensure that the caretaker administration adheres to the law, and protect the public interest while facilitating the re-establishment of full democratic governance in the state.
“The sensitivity and gravity of this assignment cannot be overemphasised. The state of emergency in Rivers State has generated widespread interest across the nation, and the eyes of all Nigerians are upon us as they await to see if the National Assembly can live up to the high expectations placed upon it..
“Therefore, the task before this Committee is not routine; it is a mission of national significance that will serve as a litmus test for our commitment to democratic principles and constitutional governance. The importance of the assignment places a considerable burden on the Chairman and all members, as every action taken will be subject to national scrutiny.
The speaker explained that members of this Committee have been selected with meticulous care by the House leadership based on their integrity, experience, and steadfast dedication to the national interest.
He told the members that they have been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of justifying the confidence reposed in them by the entire nation.
Abbas charged them to approach the assignment with the highest standards of professionalism, impartiality, and diligence.
“Honourable colleagues, the National Assembly’s intervention in Rivers State is not an instrument of political vendetta but a constitutional necessity.
“It embodies our collective duty to safeguard peace, security, and the rule of law. We act not out of partisan interests but in the earnest service of a united and prosperous Nigeria. The eyes of all Nigerians are upon us, and it is incumbent upon this House, particularly on the Chairman and all members of this esteemed Committee, to rise to this historic challenge with courage, integrity, and determination”, he added.
