Emergency Rule: Dicey decision in Senate

As Nigerian senators gather to deliberate on the president’s proclamation of emergency rule on three Northeast states, the matter of loyalty to party, faith and region could come into play.

Considering that Nigeria is not just a multi-party democracy but a secular and multi-ethnic nation, there are fears that the things that divide the nation may play out on the senate floor this Tuesday, when the lawmakers vote on the state of emergency proclaimed on three states of the Northeast.

So, expectations are high as the Senate sets to deliberate on the desirability or otherwise of the state of emergency slammed on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states last Tuesday, by President Goodluck Jonathan, following what was seen as ceaseless and senseless killings of people in the affected states by Boko Haram Islamist group.

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

The 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 the 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 can form a quorum to handle the issue of the day.

But as the nation anxiously waits to see how the Senate will handle the issue, there are anxieties in some sections of the polity, given the mixed response to the proclamation from some parties and the Northern Elders Forum.

The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, had in swift responses, condemned the president’s action and urged all their adherents not to support the proclamation in any form, saying the president’s action was not without link to his perceived 2015 presidential ambition.

Affront on the zone
Also, some Northern elders represented by former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, and the North’s umbrella body, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, described the proclamation of the emergency rule as not only a direct declaration of war on the entire Northern region but an affront on the zone, saying they would challenge the action.

So it is not surprising that there is trepidation that the proclamation could face a challenge when the Senate votes on it today.

However, emerging indications are that many senators may shelve their personal or party interests and rather, focus on what they consider “common cause” paramount to national interest. Eyes would especially be on senators belonging to the CPC and ACN whose parties have disagreed with the president on the proclamation.

Remarkably, senators from the PDP controlled Adamawa State may be tempted to vote against the proclamation especially those who may see the inclusion of their state as not only unnecessary but a political vendetta aimed at getting to the state governor, Alhaji Murtala Nyako, who, is well known to be in the bad book of the PDP chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

On the other hand, the senators from Borno and Yobe states, the two states at the heart of the Boko Haram insurgency may not whole-heartedly support emergency rule.

Eyes would especially be on Senator Ali Ndume, PDP, Borno South, given that he is the highest profile public official presently under trial for collaboration with the Boko Haram.

Shortly after the proclamation of the emergency by the president, he had said: “We are hoping that this thing is built positively and we hope that whatever the government is doing, bearing in mind that the government of democracy is government of the people and for the people, the people involved and the states involved or the civilians involved are not exposed to further hardship than the one they are going through”.

But irrespective of the inclination of the senators from the three states, there is optimism that senators of other various political parties, namely, PDP,DPP LP ACN and ANPP in other states like Kano and Zamfara states will forget their political differences to give the president’s proclamation a huge support.

Some senators of the affected parties, who spoke with Vanguard on the issue, said there was need for all members to support the president’s action, given that it was done in the general interest of the nation.

Senator Ganiyu Solomon, ACN, Lagos West, told Vanguard that although, he was awaiting full detail of the proclamation, he believed it was done primarily to restore peace which he noted, had eluded the three states.

“Until I go through the details I cannot say anything much. But I think if the action of the president will bring peace in the states affected by the state of emergency, why would one not embrace it?  It is a good development, given that all elected structures are in place. We should sit and pray that the desired peace is achieved in the affected areas at the end of the day. I can’t speak further than that”, he said.

On his part, Senator Ademuyiwa Adeniyi, ACN, Ekiti South, said: “In as much as I support the president’s action against the backdrop of increased senseless killings of innocent people in the affected states, I will advise that the state of emergency should not be used as instrument of oppression of perceived political opponents. Again, the president who has the power and authority to control the military must ensure that they strictly follow the rules of engagement”.

Display of statesmanship
A CPC senator from North Central who spoke on the condition of anonymity: “Given the spate of violence that we have so far witnessed in these affected states, we can’t afford to go against the action of Mr President.  I believe everybody is affected in one way or the other in what has happened in these states in the past.”

“I think what is expected of us at a moment like this is utter display of statesmanship by standing against those very things that tend to threaten the continuous cooperate existence of this entity called Nigeria. It is not a matter of party, religion or culture here”, he insisted.

So, as seen, consideration of party, faith and region may not fail to play up but these will be captured, leaving national interest to thrive above all.