Former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of attempting to censor his freedom of expression when he opposed the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
According to him, the Senate’s discussion on the matter was conducted behind closed doors, where he vehemently objected to the proclamation, arguing that it lacked constitutional backing.
In a statement issued after the session, Dickson revealed that his opposition was supported by Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and a few other lawmakers who were not given the chance to speak.
He lamented that despite the robust discussions during the closed session, the majority of senators backed the emergency rule without allowing for an open debate.
“I spoke and voted against the proclamation in our closed session, supported by Senator Aminu Tambuwal and a few other senators who were not recognised to speak,” he said.
Dickson also expressed disappointment over what he described as Akpabio’s unfair treatment, stating that the Senate President misrepresented his views and attempted to silence him.
A viral video capturing parts of their heated exchange before the Senate went into a closed session further fueled the controversy. “The Senate President was very unfair to me by trying to censor my freedom of expression and by deliberately misrepresenting the import of what I said,” he stated.
Despite reported efforts to modify the emergency declaration following concerns raised by dissenting lawmakers, Dickson maintained that the primary issue remained its constitutionality.
He insisted that suspending elected officials in Rivers State was a violation of democratic principles and that the judiciary should ultimately decide on the matter.
“The beauty of democracy is that the minority will have their say while the majority will have their way,” he added.
The senator also reaffirmed his commitment to participatory democracy, calling on Nigerians to remain vigilant in safeguarding constitutional governance.
He expressed gratitude to those who supported him and vowed to formally engage with Akpabio to prevent future occurrences of what he described as an attempt at intimidation. “Everyone, including the Senate President, knows I have long gone beyond that stage in my life,” he said.
