STATE OF EMERGENCY: REPS TO DEBATE REQUEST FOR EXTENSION BY PRESIDENT JONATHAN
Adetokunbo Fakeye with agency report
Nigeria House of Representatives will today debate President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for extension of the state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, has said.
Tambuwal stated this at plenary on Tuesday in Abuja when he read the President’s letter of request.
Jonathan, relying on the provisions of Section 305(6) (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), said in spite of the pending emergency rule, “the security situation in the three states remained daunting’’.
“Honourable members, the security situation in the three states remains daunting albeit to varying degrees in the face of persistent attacks by members of the Boko Haram sect on civilian and military targets with alarming casualty rates,” the letter read.
Jonathan urged the lawmakers to consider and approve by resolution, the extension of the proclamation of the state of emergency in the affected states by a further term of six months from the date of expiration of the current term.
It would be recalled that President had proclaimed a state of emergency in the three states on May 14, 2013, following onslaughts by members of the Boko Haram sect.
The emergency rule was extended for another six months, beginning from November 12, 2013 after same was approved by the National Assembly.
