The National Assembly has come under fire from former presidential candidate Pat Utomi for supporting President Bola Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Because of the unsolved political issue in the state, Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the House of Assembly and imposed a state of emergency in Rivers State.
However, on Thursday, March 20, 2025, the National Assembly unanimously adopted the proclamation in spite of the flurry of objections to the development from opposition party leaders, attorneys, and political analysts nationwide.
Speaking on Friday, March 21, 2025, on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Prof. Utomi claimed that the lawmakers had destroyed democracy and that he could not openly claim to be from a democracy.
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The political economy professor claimed that the Senate and House of Representatives’ support for emergency rule was an insult to Nigerians, pointing out that when he and other members of the current National Assembly fought for democracy, the majority of them were hiding.
“Today, democracy was killed in Nigeria,” he declared. I can’t openly claim to be from a democracy because my country isn’t one. Even the way it is done shows such contempt for the Nigerian people’s sensibilities.
“They insulted the Nigerian people by their actions yesterday. The National Assembly has started disparaging Nigerians on a regular basis. We no longer live in a democracy.
The MPs’ voting procedure and the assertion that there was no dissident voice during the voice vote were also criticized by Pat Utomi.
He insisted that the country’s institutions are being destroyed by Nigerian officials, and he said it is tragic that Nigeria has reached a point where the world now mocks the nation.
