Citizens’ Solution Network (CSN) has called for a Commission of Inquiry into the claim of Voting by the lower and upper chambers of the Nigerian National Assembly in validating the state of emergency declared in Rivers State by president Tinubu.
According to the group, the commission of inquiry shall be made up of prominent civil rights activists, journalists, constitutional lawyers, student leaders, trader unionists, and forensic scientists and shall be mandated to carry out a firsthand inquiry into the nature and authenticity of the true identities of the persons who were said to be inside the hallow chambers during the alleged voting.
A statement dated Saturday March 22, 2025 and signed by Richard Inoyo, County Director, CSN said millions of Nigerians across the country have contacted their agents in various cities and towns sharing their doubts and reservations about whether those who were said to have participated and supported the voice voting in the National Assembly were actually current serving senators and House of Representative members or faceless persons who were brought into the hallow chambers of the National Assembly Complex to scream in favour of the pronouncement of state of emergency.
“This Commission of Inquiry shall also investigate the pre-voting conditions to establish what and what happened before the voice voting was done and to let Nigerians and the rest of the world know if bribery occurred, before, during and after the said voice voting
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“The Commission of Inquiry shall also conduct additional investigation to verify if the voice voting is in contravention of the Nigerian Constitution and therefore declared null and void or if it was in line with the provisions of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution as amended.
“Citizens’ Solution Network shall equally diversify the outcome of the investigation report and the end-publication of the Commission of Inquiry to find out if the Speaker of the lower chamber and the Senate President of the red chamber followed the provisions of the constitution or violated it by virture of their declaration and utilisation of voice voting during the plenary session on such critical matter of grave national importance”
The group said question regarding the declaration of the state of emergency and its hurried implementation by the President of Nigeria with troops moving towards the River State Government House and the sole administrator, Mr. Ibokete Ibas being sworn-in in Abuja, even before the National Assembly had a say on the matter would be investigated by the commission with a view to ascertain if PresidentTinubu breached or acted in line with the constitution.
It said the outcome of the Commission of Inquiry shall have far-reaching consequences on the nation as well as citizens’ mobilisation and enforcement of their rights to defend and uphold the relevant sections of the Constitution if such grand norm of the federation was found to be vitiated or undermined by any authority as regards that specific issue and the planetary session that followed.
“Let it be on public registry that Citizens’ Solution Network is calling for the nominations of prominent leaders of the underlisted communities: civil rights activists, journalists, constitutional lawyers, student leaders, trade unionists, and forensic scientists to forward their names and phone numbers to: Whatsapp Line: 08067212340 for possible consideration for the formation of the Commission of Inquiry into this matter.
“This Commission of Inquiry is a strictly citizens’ initiative with no connection whatsoever to government”, the statement clarified.
