By Ikechukwu Okaforadi, Umar Muhammad Puma & Mustapha Isah Kwaru, in Maiduguri.
- North-East legislators kick, as Reps reconvene tomorrow
The Senate yesterday failed to arrive at a consensus on whether to reject or grant approval to the request by President Goodluck Jonathan, for an additional six months extension of the emergency rule imposed on the three north east states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa.
To this end, the upper legislative chamber, which met behind closed doors for about three hours to discuss the request from President Jonathan, has therefore slated tomorrow for continuation of deliberations on whether to approve the extension or not.
However, some northern senators, especially those from the affected states, have condemned the proposed extension of the emergency rule in their states, arguing that from its first declaration, it has only worsened beyond anticipation.
According to Ndume (PDP, Borno South), who spoke to journalists after the closed door meeting, he said his colleagues rejected the proposal, even as he suggested that since the emergency is not working, the troops should be allowed to remain in the region, while the emergency should be suspended.
He lamented that even in the emergency situation, the insurgents are freely moving both in the night and day; taking over territories, as he said the people of Borno state are already tired of the extension.
He, therefore, expressed his total opposition to the extension of the emergency rule because it would further worsen the situation in the three north – eastern states.
According to him, “The state of emergency since it was declared in the three states had taken us from bad to worse. Our fears now are that if we extend it again, we are inviting more problems to ourselves because the insurgents would capture more territories during the period.
“As the representatives of my people, my entire constituents are totally opposed to the extension of the emergency rule because it restricts movements of the civilian populace while the insurgents move freely and have a field day.
“When people are sleeping in the night, the insurgents are freely moving around. By 6pm, the whole towns are closed but the insurgents are busy taking control of everywhere”, Ndume lamented.
He doubted the sincerity of the federal government to the fight against the insurgency and urged the relevant military authorities to adopt fresh strategies to combat the menace.
In his reaction, Ahmed Lawan (APC, Yobe) said, “Although, we will continue deliberations on the issue tomorrow, but I can assure you that we will not approve the emergency rule extension because the President can deploy the military to any part of the country without declaring a state of emergency.
“I want to tell you that I am totally opposed to it. I believe that after 18 months of the state of emergency, we should look at other avenue.
Other senators, including Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara), among others, who also spoke on the development admitted that the declaration of the state of emergency in the affected states had not achieved the desired objectives since it was proclaimed in May 2013.
Also, speaking to journalists, the Deputy Chairman of Senate committee on Information and Publicity, Bello Tukur, said the Senate will urgently treat the issue and let Nigerians know their resolution because of the nature of what is happening in the north east region and Nigeria in general.
Reacting to the President’s request for the extension of emergency rule in the affected states, Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettima yesterday said he had no doubts about the sincerity of Mr. President in seeking an extension “to make it easier for our security agencies to continue their services to our fatherland”.
Isa Gusau, Shettima’s media aide, made this known in a statement which said, “An extension is reasonable in the circumstance we have found ourselves much as it also reasonable to take stock of what previous declarations have achieved. No democratic government would wish to have military men roaming it’s streets with armoured tanks”, the governor declared.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives said it will reconvene on Thursday, November 20, to deliberate on the President’s request, noting that the President has formally requested the two chambers of the National Assembly to extend the emergency rule in the three northeast states hit by the insurgency.
A statement issued yesterday by the Imam Imam, Speaker’s media aide and signed by the Speaker, said the House will resume on Thursday in in order to treat the extension before the expiration of the current State of Emergency in accordance with Section 305 (6) (c) of the Constitution.
It said all honourable members are requested to attend this Special Session.
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