Emergency rule: Senate summons, Gusau, Moro, service chiefs, others

The Senate today commenced the process of extending the state of emergency rule in three North-East States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe as requested by President Goodluck Jonathan.Jonathan had on Tuesday forwarded a request for the extension of the emergency rule which expires this morning after it was renewed last November.Senators in the upper legislative chamber unanimously passed a resolution summoning the Minister of Defence General Aliyu Gusau (rtd), Police Affairs Minister Abbah Moro, National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, to appear before it tomorrow in a closed session.The security chiefs are to brief the lawmakers on the implementation of the emergency rule in the last one year before they approve it even though Governors, lawmakers and leaders from the region have expressed stiff opposition over the extension.Moving the motion, Senate leader, Sentator Victor Ndoma-Egba urged his colleagues to allow the item be stepped down from the order paper till the next legislative session. "We must circulate the gazette before we can debate it. Secondly, it is the tradition of this senate that we appraise and access, the performance of the state of emergency before we debate," Senator Ndoma-Egba said.Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, described the motion as "a very serious business which bothers on the security of a part of this country.He noted that it was essential that the senate needed to be well informed about the situation on ground and the efficiency or the effectiveness of the state of emergency in the past 12 months to enable them take a proper decision.
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