Wednesday, 14 May 2014

Goodluck Requests For Extension of Emergency Rule in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa States Again

For the third time, President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday extended emergency rule in the three North-east states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States and asked the National Assembly to expeditiously approve the extension.
The president in letters addressed to Senate President David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, said extending the emergency rule
was an option to consider because the security situation in the affected states had not improved.
According to him, the security situation in the three states remained daunting in view of persistent attacks by members of the Boko Haram sect, whom he said, had continued to unleash terror on both the civilians and the military.
The letter read: "May I respectfully draw your attention to the state of emergency proclamation 2013, in respect of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States, which was approved by the National Assembly. By virtue of the provisions of Section 305(6)(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the proclamation aforementioned would have elapsed after six months from the date of approval of the National Assembly.
"However, after due consideration of the representations made to the Senate/House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the effect that, while substantial progress had been made to contain the situation and restore normalcy in the affected states, the security situation that necessitated the proclamation of a state of emergency is yet to abate.
"It would be recalled that the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had upon consideration of the realities of the security situation in the affected states that had been placed before it, graciously approved by resolution, the extension of the state of emergency for a further term of six months from the date of expiration of the subsisting period.
"Distinguished senators, 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 casuality rates.
"In view of the foregoing, I most respectfully request the distinguished senators to consider and approve by resolution, the extension of the proclamation of the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States by a further term of six months from the date of expiration of the current term.
"I look foward, Distinguished Senate President, to the usual kind of expeditious consideration of this request by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Please accept, as always, the assurances of my highest consideration and esteem."
In the House, after the Speaker read out the president's letter, he said the lower chamber would debate the request today. Meanwhile in reaction to the president's request to extend emergency rule in the three states, the Yobe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, rejected it, saying that this was not the solution to the protracted Boko Haram menace in the area.
The governor communicated his displeasure in a statement issued by his Special Adviser, Press Affairs and Information, Mallam Bego Abdullahi. The statement read: "It has come to the notice of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam that President Goodluck Jonathan, has written to the National Assembly asking for yet another extension of emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, as the current emergency rule expires in the next few days.
"The Yobe State Government, under the leadership of Governor Gaidam, takes very strong exception to this move by the president. We believe that extending emergency rule is not the answer to the prevailing security challenges in the three affected states, in view of the apparent failure of the same measure over the last 12 months."

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