Nigeria, March 20 -- The two chambers of the Nigerian parliament used voice votes to approve President Bola Tinubu's State of Emergency in Rivers despite a constitutional provision that mandates two-third majority votes by each chamber for such approval.

Section 305 (6b) of the Nigerian constitution mandates that a state of emergency in any part of Nigeria proclamed by the president must be supported by "two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly."

Many Nigerians had, thus, hoped that the Senate and House of Representatives would adopt proper voting procedures so Nigerians would know the actual number of lawmakers that supported the president's declaration, who they were and whether or not the constitu...