By Olusegun Lawrence The Senate Wednesday summoned the Service Chiefs to appear before it on Thursday to defend the request for extension of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
President Goodluck Jonathan had on Tuesday requested that the emergency rule be extended for the third time to enable the military rid the north eastern part of the country of insurgency.
The Senators commenced discussion on the request on Tuesday but could not agree on it. Also on Wednesday, they resumed discussion at closed doors session but could not also reach an agreement.
Senate President David Mark said that the lawmakers had a very robust and detailed discussion on the subject, adding that further discussion will resume on Thursday.
According to Mark, the Senate during the session also resolved to invite the Service Chiefs to be part of the discussion.
Briefing newsmen after the plenary, Chairman of the Senate Committee on information and Media, Enyinnaya Abaribe, justified the invitation of the Service Chiefs, saying they needed more information from them and the governors of the affected states.
“The senate had a very robust discussion and agreed that talks should continue the next day and to as well have the nation’s service chiefs present to brief us more on what is going on in these States. We are going to act based on the additional information they are going to give us.
“If we are going to pass the request I think it will not be very unusual that we get the necessary information to guide our decisions. We hope that by tomorrow we should be able to reach a decision “, Abaribe said.
Some Senators especially those who are from the affected States have spoken against the extension, saying the security situations in the three states have not improved since the declaration of emergency rule in May 2013.
President Goodluck Jonathan had on Tuesday requested that the emergency rule be extended for the third time to enable the military rid the north eastern part of the country of insurgency.
The Senators commenced discussion on the request on Tuesday but could not agree on it. Also on Wednesday, they resumed discussion at closed doors session but could not also reach an agreement.
Senate President David Mark said that the lawmakers had a very robust and detailed discussion on the subject, adding that further discussion will resume on Thursday.
According to Mark, the Senate during the session also resolved to invite the Service Chiefs to be part of the discussion.
Briefing newsmen after the plenary, Chairman of the Senate Committee on information and Media, Enyinnaya Abaribe, justified the invitation of the Service Chiefs, saying they needed more information from them and the governors of the affected states.
“The senate had a very robust discussion and agreed that talks should continue the next day and to as well have the nation’s service chiefs present to brief us more on what is going on in these States. We are going to act based on the additional information they are going to give us.
“If we are going to pass the request I think it will not be very unusual that we get the necessary information to guide our decisions. We hope that by tomorrow we should be able to reach a decision “, Abaribe said.
Some Senators especially those who are from the affected States have spoken against the extension, saying the security situations in the three states have not improved since the declaration of emergency rule in May 2013.
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