Abuja – Rep. Friday Itulah (Edo-PDP) on Tuesday
in Abuja expressed support for the Federal
Government’s efforts to extend the emergency
rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
Itulah told newsmen that there was need to
intensify efforts to ensure that the insurgency
currently confronting the country was addressed.
According to the lawmaker, “I think it is worth it
as long as the reason for the extension has not
been realised.
“There is need to extend the emergency rule.
“Some aspects of it also need to be revisited to
make the fight more effective.
“I think it is working because if there was no
emergency rule, the situation would have been
worse.
“That was why I said Federal Government
needed to revisit some aspects of the
emergency rule to make it better.
“The house is supposed to reconvene on Dec. 3,
but since this is a national emergency, let us see
how it goes,’’ Itulah said.
Similarly, Mr Simeon Omaliko, State Chairman,
African Democratic Congress (ADC), in an
interview said the extension was inevitable.
“When your house is burning, do you go to
sleep?’’
He said that the Federal Government was
adopting civil approach in combating insurgency,
to prevent possible killing of innocent citizens.
Mr Mba Chinwendu, a lawyer, said that the fight
against insurgency required a collective effort.
According to him, “Nigerians are always quick in
blaming the president rather than supporting the
fight against this menace’’.
Section 305 of 1999 Constitution provides for the
imposition of a state of emergency in the
country or any part of it.
It empowers the President to issue the
declaration by way of official gazette.
It also provides that a two-third majority of the
National Assembly must ratify the executive
proclamation within two days, if the legislators
are in session, or 10 days, if they are not.
However, the House of Representatives, which is
expected to rectify the proclamation of state of
emergency, is currently on recess since Oct. 28
and expected to resume on Dec. 3.
A Federal High Court in Abuja granted an
injunction stopping the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) lawmakers from reconvening the house
from recess.
Justice Ahmed Muhammed said the PDP
legislators could not take a decision to
reconvene the house and also that all parties to
the suit must maintain the status quo.
The ruling came after members of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the house filed a
motion on notice, asking the court to stop the
Federal Government, PDP and their agents from
reconvening the house until Dec. 3.
The emergency rule was first declared in the
affected states on May 14, 2013 by President
Goodluck Jonathan over the continued activities
of insurgents in the three states.
The decision to extend it for the third time was
taken at a meeting of the National Defence
Council presided over by Jonathan on Monday.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/lawmaker-others-support-emergency-rule-extension-3-states/

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