Reps Approve Emergency Rule In Three States …As Senate Defers Debate To Tuesday

Cross section of participants at the Public Works Maintenance, Orientation programme held at the Ministry of Justice conference hall in Port Harcourt. Photo: Prince Dele Obinna

The House of Representatives in Abuja yesterday approved the request of President Goodluck Jonathan for the extension of state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe for another six months.
Jonathan requested for the extension in a letter to the House on May 13.
The approval followed a three-hour meeting with the Service Chiefs and Heads of Security on the current state of emergency in the three states.
Addressing a news conference, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Zakari Mohammed, said the House voted unanimously for extension for the stability of the country.
Zakari said the Service Chiefs had also assured them that the extension would further consolidate the gains of the past one year period of the rule.
“We were given all the assurances by our Service Chiefs that they are on top of the situation’’, he said.
Rep. Ezekiel Adaji (PDP-Benue), said the House had no option than to approve the President’s request for the extension.
“I think we have no option, we must accept that this is a war and I think we are winning, so let them consolidate’’, he said.
“That is why we need this briefing, we have seen where there are loopholes and we have given them some recommendations.
Rep. Abiodun Balogun (APC-Ogun), said after the briefing, the House discovered that there was need for the extension of the state of emergency in the three states.
He said that it was agreed that the military must also justify the extension granted as the House would not grant another state of emergency after this.
Rep. Nnenna Ukeje (PDP-Abia), said they approved the state of emergency to give the Nigerian army time to do the work they had signed to do.
According to her, the House has shown, with the approval of the extension of emergency rule, the quest to end insurgency in the country.
Parliament did a responsible thing today and that is to extend the state of emergency in the three states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.
“We hope that we will curb this insurgence and bring back the Chibok girls and hopefully, put an end to terrorism in Nigeria’’, she said.
Rep. Pally Iraise (APC- Edo), said that any solution proffered to put an end to terrorism in Nigeria was welcome.
“We have given them the extension that they seek; it is now for us to follow up and be sure that whatever needed to be done will be done within this extension.
“In the next three to six months, we want to see an end to this menace of terrorism’’, she said.
The emergency rule was extended for another six months, beginning from Nov. 12, 2013 after same was approved by the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Senate, for the second time, yesterday, deferred debate on the President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for an extension of the State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states for another six months.
The senate postponed debate on the request to next Tuesday after a closed door session with the Service Chiefs, Inspector-General of Police and the Director General of State Security Service (SSS).
The Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, explained that after the closed door session, the Senate resolved to continue debate on the issue on Tuesday.
Ekweremadu said that the Senate would carry out wider consultations with all relevant stakeholders involved to ensure that everyone was carried along.
“The senate met with the service chiefs and we were fully briefed on the operations of the state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa over the last 12 months.
“As responsible and patriotic Nigerians, we are looking to ensure that the security in those states improved at the shortest possible time.
“We also agreed to further consult with stakeholders to ensure that everybody would buy into whatever needs be done to secure those states and to defeat insurgency in those states.
“So by Tuesday, we would continue our deliberation on the issue of the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
Sen. Hope Uzodinma (PDP-Imo) expressed confidence that all the issues raised by the senators would be resolved when the senate reconvenes next Tuesday.
Uzodinma said:”I am sure by Tuesday, we would get through with it, because between now and Tuesday the leadership of the senate would do more consultations.”
Sen Smart Adeyemi said that most senators were swayed from their initial positions after listening to the briefing by the service chiefs.
“You are taking a decision that is going to affect a particular area. So, we have to take time and investigate what they have said so that we would speak from the point of knowledge.
“When the service chiefs came and spoke at length to us quite a number of senators changed their opinion.
“So, as it is many of the legislators have not really made up their mind as to whether they are going to support it or not.
“But the safety of lives and property is of paramount importance to all of us,”Adeyemi added.
Also speaking, Sen. Ahmed Lawal (APC-Yobe) insisted that,”we are against state of emergency”.
Lawal, however, said that the military should be provided with proper equipment to effectively tackle the crisis.
“What we require is effectiveness and that does not require state of emergency. What we need to do is to ensure that whatever resources are appropriated are utilised properly.
“The military had conducted very massive operations in Nasarawa, Benue, Zamfara and recently in Katsina.
“Those states were not under a state of emergency before those operations were conducted.
“And let me tell you insurgency does not end. In Turkey, the PKK insurection is over 30 years; and the FARC uprising in Colombia is over 50 years.
“Insurgency does not end. What you need to do is to continue to get the right arms and re-strategise until you get to the situation where people would feel better,”Lawal declared.