Extension of emergency rule: Senate postpones debate, summons security chiefs

The Senate has deferred debate on the extension of emergency rule in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States, saying that the upper chamber must circulate the gazette before debating on it.
Also, the Senate in its resolution summoned the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, the Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser, the Minister of Police Affairs, the Minister of Defence and the Director General of the Department of State Service.
They are to appear before the Senate on Thursday before the legislators would consider the letter of President Goodluck Jonathan requesting for the extension of the emergency rule in the three states by another six months.
Moving the motion on the postponement of the debate, the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, hinged it on the fact that the aspect of the constitution dealing with emergency rule has not been gazetted.
Ndoma-Egba also said the Upper Chamber was yet to review success of the emergency in those states since it was declared one year ago.
In his words: “I will be moving that we defer the debate to another legislative day for the following reasons: we must circulate the gazette before we can debate on it.
“Secondly, it is the tradition of the Senate that before we approve it, we appraise the performance of the emergency rule before we debate on it.
“So, I will move that this Senate do invite Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Inspector General of Police, National Security Adviser, Minister of Police Affairs, Minister of Defence and Director, State Security Service to appear before Senate on Thursday.”