References
1 Seneca, On Providence, in John W Basore (tr), Seneca: Moral Essays Volume I (Loeb Classical Library No. 214, Harvard University Press 1928) 3–41. 2 Ibid, 31–33. 3 OI Usang and OJ Enemuoh, ‘A Legal Appraisal of Emergency Rule in Nigeria and South Africa: A Comparative Approach’ (2023) 4(1) Law and Social Justice Review 100–106.4 DO Agbara, ‘A Legal Review of Exercise of Emergency Powers in Nigeria vis-à-vis Minimum International Standards’ (2022) 4(4) International Scholars Journal of Arts and Social Science Research 414–434. 5 BO Igwenyi, CC Nwogbo-Egwu and CA Igwe, ‘Nigerian Governors get Jittery when ‘State of Emergency’ is Mentioned: A Juristic Overview of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as Amended’ (2019) 10(1) Bejing Law Review 1346–1355. https://doi.org/10.4236/blr.2019.105072 6 PC Aneke, ‘The Exercise of Emergency Powers in Nigeria: The Position of ACHPR and Conformity with the Minimum International Standard’ (2021) 1(1) Madonna University of Nigeria Faculty of Law Law Journal 103–114. 7 Agbara (n4), 416. 8 CAP. C23 LFN 2004, s. 305(1). 9 Ibid, s. 305(2) & (6)(b). 10 Usang and Enemuoh (n3), 103. 11 CAP. C23 LFN 2004, s. 305(6)(c) & (d). 12 Usang and Enemuoh (n3), 103. 13 Ibid.21 Ibid, 22 Ibid. 23 F Omoboye, ‘Nigerian states that have had a ‘state of emergency’ Business Day (19 March 2025). https://businessday-ng.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/businessday.ng/politics/article/nigerian-states-that-have-had-a-stateof-emergency accessed 23 July 2025. 24 P Duru and J Agbakwuru, ‘Insecurity: Tearful Ortom, Reps, Call for Emergency’ Vanguard (28 April 2021). https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/04/insecurity-tearful-ortom-reps-call-for-emergency/amp/ accessed 23 July 2025. 25 Ibid. 26 It is not clear if state approval was even ever requested, suggesting either ignorance or disregard of the constitutional provisions by the Governor. 27 CAP. C23, LFN 2004, s. 305(5). 28 In his address declaring the state of emergency in Rivers State, President Tinubu cited the failure of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to request a proclamation within a reasonable time, as the legal ground for the his intervention. See O Adeduyite, ‘FULL TEXT: Tinubu Declares State of Emergency in Rivers, Suspends Fubara, Deputy, Lawmakers’ Punch (18 March 2025). https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/full-text-tinubu-declaresstate-of-emergency-in-rivers-suspends-fubara-deputy/%3famp accessed 23 July 2025. 29 CAP. C23, LFN 2004, s. 305(5). 30 Ibid, s. 305(4). 31 F Onuah and T Cocks, ‘Nigeria’s Jonathan Declares of State of Emergency’ Reuters (31 December 2011). https://www.reuters.com/article/world/nigerias-jonathan-declares-state-of-emergency-idUSL6E7NV07T/ accessed 23 July 2025.32 CAP. C23, LFN 2004, s. 305(6). 33 Ibid, s. 305(6)(a). 34 Ibid, s. 305(6)(b). 35 Ibid, s. 305(6)(c). 36 Ibid. 37 Ibid. 38 C Eboh, ‘Nigerian Parliament rejects Emergency in One State’ Reuters (9 August 2007). https://www.reuters.com/article/economy/nigerian-parliament-rejects-emergency-in-one-state-idUSL24129717/ accessed 23 July 2025. 39 Omoboye (n23). 40 Baron de Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (2nd ed, Cambridge University Press 1989) bk 11, ch 6, vol 1, 219. 41 CAP. C23, LFN 2004, s. 305(4). 42 CAP. C23, LFN 2004, s. 305(2)43 Ibid, s. 305(6). 44 Usang and Enemuoh (n3), 103. 45 CAP. C23 LFN 2004, s. 305(6)(b). 46 K Oyero, ‘Rivers: Voice Vote by Senators, Reps, A Camouflage, says Ogbeh’ Channels News (20 March 2025). https://www.channelstv.com/2025/03/20/rivers-voice-vote-by-senators-reps-a-camouflage-says-ogbeh/ accessed 23 July 2025. 47 S Nwafor, ‘Voice Vote: NBA Rejects NASS endorsement of Rivers State of Emergency’ Vanguard (23 March 2025). https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/voice-vote-nba-rejects-nass-endorsement-of-rivers-state-of-emergency/ accessed 23 July 2025. 48 CAP. C23 LFN 2004, s. 305(6)(c)49 [1961] 3 ALL ER 1169 (PC). 50 CAP. C23 LFN 2004, s. 305(6)(c). 51 Ibid, s. 305(6)(d).52 Ibid, s. 305(2). It provides that, ‘The President shall immediately after the publication, transmit copies of the Official -Gazette of the Government of the Federation containing the proclamation including the details of the emergency to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each of whom shall forthwith convene or arrange for a meeting of the House of which he is President or Speaker, as the case may be, to consider the situation and decide whether or not to pass a resolution approving the Proclamation’ (emphasis mine). 53 S Angbulu, ‘Tinubu swears in Ibas as Rivers Sole Administrator’ Punch (19 March 2025). https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/breaking-tinubu-swears-in-ibas-as-rivers-sole-administrator/%3famp accessed 23 July 2025. 54 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996, s. 37. 55 CAP. C23, LFN 2004, s. 305(6)(b).56 Oyero (n46); Nwafor (n47). 57 S Imukudo, ‘Nigerian Senator Rejects State of Emergency in Rivers’ Premium Times (19 March 2025). https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/781942-nigerian-senator-rejects-state-of-emergency-inrivers.html accessed 23 July 2025; A Ogundapo, ‘Rivers Crisis: FCT Senator faults Voice Votes in Approving Emergency Rule’ Premium Times (21 March 2025). https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/782646- rivers-crisis-fct-senator-faults-voice-votes-in-approving-emergency-rule.html accessed 23 July 2025. 58 CAP. C23, LFN 2004, s. 45(2). 59 Ibid, s. 45(3) 60 In 1997, South Africa enacted the State of Emergency Act, 1997, an emergency rule-dedicated legislation.
