In a striking display of dissent, Nigerian Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West, staged a walkout from the Senate plenary on March 20, 2025, during a vote on President Bola Tinubu’s controversial state of emergency declaration in Rivers State. The declaration, announced on March 18, has plunged Nigeria’s oil-rich region into further political turmoil, suspending the state’s elected governor, deputy governor, and lawmakers for six months amid escalating unrest and pipeline vandalism. Dickson’s bold action, coupled with his vocal opposition to the measure, has reignited debates about constitutional governance, democratic principles, and the Senate’s handling of national crises.
The state of emergency in Rivers State, a key oil-producing region in the Niger Delta, was met with widespread criticism from opposition groups, legal experts, and some lawmakers. President Tinubu justified the move in a televised address, citing security reports of pipeline vandalism by militants and a perceived failure by the state government to address the crisis. However, critics, including Dickson, argue that the declaration violates Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, particularly by suspending elected officials without due process.