Reps Hold Emergency Session Over Emergency Rule Extension

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Tuesday, November 18th, 2014

Oyewale Oyelola

The Speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal has recalled members from their recess in order to meet over President Jonathan’s request to extend the emergency rules in the North East, Nigeria

Tambuwal asked members to reconvene tomorrow (Thursday) to hold a special session on the extension of emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

The speaker, in a statement issued in Abuja, said: “On Tuesday, 18th November 2014, I received a communication from the President, Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, requesting for the extension of the existing State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States by the House of Representatives.

“Pursuant to the powers conferred on me by Section 305 ( 2 ) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which requires me to ‘forthwith convene or arrange a meeting of the House’ and in order to treat the extension before the expiration of the current State of Emergency in accordance with Section 305 (6) (c) of the Constitution, I hereby reconvene the House of Representatives, currently on Recess.”

AFRICAN EXAMINER correspondent, however, gathered that APC caucus in the house will meet today (Wednesday) to strategize on how to prevent the PDP members from impeaching the speaker.

It would be recalled that Tambuwal adjourned sitting to December 3, 2014 after he announced his defection from PDP to APC, a development that has been greeted with mixed reactions across the country.