Abstract
Paraphrasing Seneca, challenges are an inescapable part of life’s journey, as individuals and a
nation; unexpected events must be expected. These events must not just be expected, but must be
prepared for through adequate legal provisions to ensure continued governance. In Nigeria,
Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 provides legal guidance
in emergency situations. The section empowers the President to proclaim a state of emergency in
the entire Federation or any part thereof. However, it does not stop there, rather, it also empowers
the National Assembly to check the President’s powers through approvals. The effective exercise
of this parliamentary oversight is critical in preventing the politicisation and weaponisation of
state of emergency proclamations. Hence, this paper set out to clarify the role of the National
Assembly in emergency rule in Nigeria, based on the provisions of the 199 Constitution and
established precedent. Relying on a doctrinal methodology, complemented by a comparative
analysis, the study unearthed the four cardinal roles of the National Assembly during emergency
rule, and proposed four corresponding recommendations.