Military, Senators Clash Over Emergency Rule

The Nigerian Military and senators at the upper chambers of the National Assembly have clashed over the extension of emergency rule in the three North-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. Repoerts from ThisDay reports that the clash occurred following the military’s request for the continuation of emergency rule in the troubled states as the senators refused to change their minds against the sustenance of emergency rule. It was gathered that the refusal to renew the state of emergency in the said states followed senators’ inability to agree on the need and essence of further extension after the service chiefs implored them to allow the emergency rule which expired on November 20 to continue on the ground that it would enhance the war against terrorism. A source at the meeting revealed that the plea of the service chiefs fell on deaf ears as the senators’ maintained a hard stance against further extension of emergency rule, especially those from the North, who were not ready to shift grounds on their opposition to the policy. The implication of this hard stance is that any fresh proclamation of emergency rule following the last expiration on November 20 by President Goodluck Jonathan will still meet a brick wall if such request is sent afresh to the Senate.