Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has criticized lawmakers who took to the media to express concerns over the adoption of voice voting in confirming a State of Emergency in Rivers State.
Sani stated that any lawmaker opposed to the process should have voiced their objections within the National Assembly chambers rather than addressing them publicly.
Following President Bola Tinubu’s proclamation of a State of Emergency in Rivers, members of the National Assembly conducted a vote.
However, instead of taking a head count to ensure a quorum was met, the leadership opted for voice voting.
The process was widely condemned by opposition figures, including Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Among the critics was Senator Ireti Kingibe, who openly challenged the method used. Reacting to this, Sani emphasized that lawmakers should raise their concerns during proceedings, not after the fact.
Posting on X, he wrote, “If any lawmaker had issues with voice votes or quorum, he or she is supposed to raise a point of order on the floor and insist on being heard; and not be silent in the chamber then come to the media to raise objections.
“If there is no quorum, it’s because some lawmakers deliberately chose to abstain.”
