Following Thursday’s approval of President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, a former Senator representing Benue North-West, Emmanuel Orker Jev, has criticized the 10th National Assembly’s use of voice votes.
New Telegraph recalls that the upper and lower chamber of the 10th Assembly on Thursday ratified the state of emergency in Rivers suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the House of Assembly.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Monday, Senator Jev argued that the Senate and House of Representatives could not legally establish a two-thirds majority through voice votes.
However, Jev, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, faulted claims that lawmakers have the discretion to regulate their voting method in such a critical decision.
Sharing his perspective, Senator Jev, who spent 16 years in the National Assembly—12 in the House of Representatives and four in the Senate—emphasized that the Constitution does not support the use of voice votes in matters requiring a two-thirds majority.
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“I’ve seen some of my colleagues come on air and try to justify the voice vote on the ground that Section 60 of the Constitution allows them to regulate their procedure. But have they read Section 60?
“Section 60 states that the Senate or the House of Representatives can regulate its procedure, but subject to the provisions of the Constitution. Since the Constitution explicitly requires a two-thirds majority, how do you measure that with a voice vote? It doesn’t make any sense.”
According to the former lawmaker, voting involves three categories: the ayes, the nays, and those abstaining, making it impossible to determine an accurate two-thirds majority through voice voting.
He further stressed that in previous cases where a two-thirds majority was required, the National Assembly resorted to electronic or manual voting, rather than voice votes.
Jev also expressed disappointment that only a few opposition lawmakers challenged the voice vote decision, stating that he had expected stronger resistance.
“Politics is about lobbying, and I’m surprised that only a few opposition members openly disagreed with this process. I thought it was something that would be totally resisted.”
The controversy over the National Assembly’s handling of the Rivers State crisis continues to generate reactions, with legal experts and political analysts debating the constitutionality of the decision.
