Nigerian Senate backs emergency rule

David Mark

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday unanimously backed the state of emergency slammed on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states last week by President Goodluck Jonathan, following what was seen as ceaseless  killings of innocent people in the affected states by Boko Haram terrorist group.

The upper legislative chamber had slated today, as a day for deliberation and subsequent voting to ratify or reject the president’s action as stated by the Constitution.

The nation's Constitution stipulates that the proclamation be approved by two thirds of the whole Senate and the House of Representatives, failing which the proclamations and actions taken under the proclamations lapse immediately.

It was against this backdrop that Senate President David Mark announced during last Thursday’s plenary that all members of the chamber must turn up for today’s sitting so they could form a quorum to handle the issue.