Boko Haram: Presidency rules out State of Emergency – .. Says Nigerians can call for investigation into Yar’adua’s death

The presidential adviser, who spoke at length on efforts being made to resolve the Boko Haram crisis, said all options aimed at achieving lasting peace were being explored, insisted that the declaration of a state of emergency was not an option. He, however, expressed optimism that normalcy will soon return to Maiduguri.   Reacting to […]

The presidential adviser, who spoke at length on efforts being made to resolve the Boko Haram crisis, said all options aimed at achieving lasting peace were being explored, insisted that the declaration of a state of emergency was not an option. He, however, expressed optimism that normalcy will soon return to Maiduguri.

Reacting to Wole Soyinka’s call that the Freedom of Information Bill should be put to test by the President, Abati said that anybody can call for investigation into the death of immediate past President Umaru Yar’Adua and not necessarily by the President.

His words: “Wole Soyinka was speaking in the context of putting the FOI to test, the true test of any law at all is its implementation. The truth of the matter is the law stipulates the grounds for raising any question within its purview and any Nigerian at all is free to test that law. Soyinka as a person, any other person at all is free to test law by asking for information. I think that the challenge that Prof Soyinka threw up is not really for the President as a person, it is for all Nigerians.”