Update: Senate’s closed-door meeting over Jonathan’s emergency rule extension request dead-locked

This is even as senators from the affected states have threatened to block the passage of the president’s request, saying that the government was only implementing the emergency rule in theory rather than practice.Adoke, who is also the Minister of Justice, announced the decision while briefing State House journalists after a two-hour closed door meeting […]

This is even as senators from the affected states have threatened to block the passage of the president’s request, saying that the government was only implementing the emergency rule in theory rather than practice.
Adoke, who is also the Minister of Justice, announced the decision while briefing State House journalists after a two-hour closed door meeting of the National Defence Council chaired by President Jonathan at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He said the council reviewed the ongoing state of emergency in the three north-eastern states and resolved to call for extension.
This is apparently due to the raging activities of the outlawed Boko Haram group in the affected states.
The president had first declared a six-month emergency rule in the three states on May 14, 2013 and had it extended twice –November 2013 and May 2014 – in his letters of requests to the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly.
Records from the Senate Committee on Rules and Business indicate that the third tranche of the state of emergency was approved on May 20th, meaning it will expire tomorrow  Wednesday, November 19, 2014.
Asked how soon such the request would be communicated to the National Assembly, the Attorney-General simply said “immediately”.
The meeting was attended by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, Defence Minister retired General Aliyu Gusau National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff Major-General Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin and Chief of Air Staff Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu as well as Inspector-General of Police Sulaiman Abba and Director-General of the Department of State Security Ita Ekpeyong.
None of the service chiefs agreed to speak to journalists after the meeting which ended at about 1.40pm.
It is not serving its purpose
Meanwhile, senators from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states have expressed opposition to plans by the president to extend the state of emergency, arguing that in spite of the rule, Boko Haram insurgents have captured more Nigerian territories and killed thousands of people.
Senator Mohammed Jibrilla Bindo from Adamawa State said he no longer has a home because Boko Haram has seized his village and declared it a caliphate. “I am not in support of extension of emergency rule and my people will not support it because even right now, our people have been displaced by the insurgents.”
He added that, “the last time we approved it, we attached conditions that the military authorities should be reporting on progress to us monthly; but as the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, I know that they never did that. Also, there was the issue of the federal government refunding billions of naira spent by our states for the operations of the military but they have not done so yet.”
Also speaking, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume from southern Borno whose home town of Gwoza has been seized by the insurgents, said despite supporting the extention of emergency rule three times, “our support for state of emergency has seen us move from bad to worse as more local governments are falling under the control of insurgents despite the state of emergency.”
He wondered if the emergency rule would be extended to stop the 2015 elections from taking place as it is being speculated saying, “the last six months will veer into the period of election; are they just saying that they are requesting for this extension for the purpose for which they have been concentrating all along ignoring their constitutional responsibilities?”
For his part, Senator Ahmed Zannah also from Borno State said the Senate approved the emergency rule for three consecutive times and that “the one in May was the last chance we gave them.”
Senator Ita Enang (PDP-Akwa Ibom North), who chairs the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, said “I will not discuss what has not been brought before us yet but I will say that with or without emergency the country itself should declare emergency on the entire country. To declare emergency on the entire country is to freeze all development projects and programmes to rescue the Federal Republic of Nigeria and guarantee its sovereignty.”
However, Senator Nkechi Nwogu from Abia State called on the insurgents to embrace dialogue saying, “as a mother and grandmother I am using this opportunity to call on the Boko Haram people to embrace peace. There is nothing that cannot be dialogued.”
Also speaking, Rep. Hassan El-Badawy, from Yobe State, said “The state of emergency itself has lost its meaning and relevance. Before the emergency started, not an inch of the Nigerian territory was under control of the insurgents. Now since the starting of this emergency, we have lost seven emirates in Borno alone.
“Apart from Maidugri and Konduga, south and east of Borno State, there is not a single village that is not under the control of the insurgents.
“We won’t approve its extension this time unless there is a kind of an extra-ordinary effort before we resume; when we see clear evidence of action by the federal government to reclaim Bama, Damboa, and other occupied territories, then we would see the need of what they call emergency, then we would look at it, otherwise it has lost its relevance and meaning to us,” he said.
For his part, Rep Ali Ahmad (APC, Kwara) said: “ Yobe, where 49 students were blown up, is under emergency rule, whatever that means. It’s obvious the emergency rule has not brought about any change for the better. There’s no difference whatsoever. Any extension can only be to blackmail legislators. Defeat of Boko Haram does not lie in formal declarations bereft of political will.”
Rep Aliyu Sani Madaki (APC, Kano) said they would not support any extension. “Even the one that was extended, I didn’t support it. I was to kick against it openly when some of my colleagues asked me to please leave the floor, so I didn’t support it.
“What’s the essence of the emergency when the second largest towns in Adamawa and Borno are under the insurgents? If they want to deal with it squarely, they should send enough troops and give the troops adequate and right weapons as well as motivation. If there is sincerity of purpose, they can deal with the situation within one or two months.”
However, Rep Kaka Kyari Gujbawu (PDP, Borno) said: “I think it’s in order. But I will advise the Federal Government to implement the emergency fully and comprehensively.”
For his part, Rep Titsi Ganama (PDP, Adamawa) said “Those who oppose are just doing that for nothing sake. We shouldn’t play politics with this. People’s lives are being wasted every day, and if not for the emergency, only God knows what would have happened. So, for us, we’ll support anything that will contain the situation. This thing should go beyond politics.”
But House spokesman Zakari Mohammed told Daily Trust on phone that if any request on emergency rule extension should come to the House, members would look at it based on merit.