Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State has characteristically opposed the move by President Goodluck Jonathan to further extend the state of emergency currently in force in his state as well as Yobe and Gorno states in the North-East. Also some Northern Senators rose from a closed-door meeting on Wednesday to say they will vote against the extension of emergency rule in thye affected states. Governor.The ranks of Northern leaders opposed to the extension was further was later by Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam who noted that the Soldiers were ill equipped to effectively deal with insurgency under the present conditions.
Nyako’s opposition is coming at the heels President Jonathan’s request to the National Assembly to grant him powers to further elongate emergency rule for six more months. Jonathan’s request, dated May 2, 2014, was read to members on Tuesday.
Reacting to the request, Nyako described the action as ill-advised and a wrong step in quelling rising insurgency in the North-East. According to Governor Nyako whose position was made known through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Ahmed Sajoh, there is no need for the imposition of emergency rule in the state, as it has not mitigated the level of attacks by terrorists.
He observed that there had even been a spike in the attacks in the state since the declaration of emergency rule by President Jonathan last year: “We still hold our position that there was no need to declare a state of emergency in Adamawa in the first place, because the level of attacks in the state has even increased with the imposition of emergency rule. “As far as we are concerned, the state of emergency has not changed anything and we advise the government to adopt a new approach in tackling the insurgency rather than the business as usual tactics that do not add up.”
The Northern Senators vowed to vote against the extension of state of emergency rule imposed on three North East states by President Goodluck Jonathan The Northern Senators caucus, speaking through their leader, Senator Umaru Dahiru, said that extension of emergency rule in those states is not the best option to counter insurgency, which has paralyzed the economic activities of the affected states.
Dahiru however said the forum has set up a committee to meet with the government of the affected states on the way forward. He said: “Our meeting this afternoon discussed basically the issue of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. Everybody in attendance made contributions and a lot was said. The majority position is basically that we are not going with state of emergency rule. What we support is what would make the security personnel to achieve success in the area. We believe a lot of things ought to be addressed in order to conquer the issue of insurgency.
So, our own position is that we are not going to support extension of emergency rule in the area. We are going to engage the three governors in the affected states. We want to know what went wrong to be able to come up with better ways to tackle the crisis. However, the government must work for the benefits of its citizens. The leadership of the affected states and our forum are saying no to emergency rule. The constitution requires two-third in terms of voting. Of course we are going to vote on the issue. If we can outnumber them during the voting fine, but of course, our position is that we are going to vote against it. Technically, section 304 sub section 6, states the requirements of how the states of emergency should be declared and our position is against it and obviously, we are going to stand by it.”
Governor Ibrahim Geidam, in a statement issued by the office of the Special Adviser on media to the Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, to newsmen on later on Wednesday, he (Geidam) had supported the first emergency declaration made by the President back in May 2013 but was against any further extension. According to Geidam :“Emergency rule was a mixed-bag that was marked more by failure than by success. So, when the President went back to the National Assembly in November 2013 to ask for an extension, Governor Gaidam was among many leaders across the country who expressed reservations and asked for a change of strategy.”
“For instance, over the six months of emergency rule and later over the second, we have seen some of the worst attacks by Boko Haram in Yobe State. From GSS Damaturu to GSS Mamudo to College of Agriculture Gujba and FGC Buni Yadi, more than 120 students were killed by insurgents. There were many other attacks in Gujba and Damaturu local governments.”
“Although the security forces on the ground have done and continue to do their best under the circumstances, insurgents and criminals have always carried out attacks when they want to and have almost always got away with their barbarous and despicable acts.
“As the President now asks for another extension, it is time to ask whether any lessons have been learnt over the previous 12 months and whether the very patriotic suggestions made by the Yobe State government, other affected state governments and Nigerians generally, have been taken into account in the ongoing effort to deal with Boko Haram insurgency.
“First, Governor Gaidam has suggested, as did his Borno and Adamawa states counterparts, that the military and security forces on ground need to be fully and properly kitted with superior weaponry and advanced communications equipment.
“The Governor has particularly stressed the need for more technology-driven intelligence gathering and surveillance procedures to be able to detect and prevent attacks.
“Secondly, the Governor has stressed the need to carry the people of the affected states on board in the fight against insurgency. This suggestion was borne out of the fact that the very doctrine of counter-insurgency, as propounded by US military generals in Afghanistan and Iraq, was conceived as a means of winning the support of local, affected populations as much as scoring a military victory against insurgents.
“We have seen over this period, however, that the federal government has neither provided the advanced weaponry and communications gear needed to defeat Boko Haram nor worked to build and sustain the confidence of the people in the affected states.
“From Izge to Konduga and from Buni-Yadi to Chibok, thousands of people have been affected in the most gruesome manner but the President has not even found it worthy to pay a sympathy visit.
“We also note that the problem of insecurity is now more of a national problem than an issue restricted to Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states alone. There are security challenges in Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Taraba and Kaduna states and even the Federal Capital Territory.
“Yet, in all these places, the military and other security forces have continued to do their work of trying to restore order without an ‘Emergency Rule’ being declared by the President.
Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State has characteristically opposed the move by President Goodluck Jonathan to further extend the state of emergency currently in force in his state as well as Yobe and Gorno states in the North-East. Also some Northern Senators rose from a closed-door meeting on Wednesday to say they will vote against the extension of emergency rule in thye affected states
Nyako’s opposition is coming at the heels President Jonathan’s request to the National Assembly to grant him powers to further elongate emergency rule for six more months. Jonathan’s request, dated May 2, 2014, was read to members on Tuesday.
Reacting to the request, Nyako described the action as ill-advised and a wrong step in quelling rising insurgency in the North-East. According to Governor Nyako whose position was made known through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Ahmed Sajoh, there is no need for the imposition of emergency rule in the state, as it has not mitigated the level of attacks by terrorists.
He observed that there had even been a spike in the attacks in the state since the declaration of emergency rule by President Jonathan last year: “We still hold our position that there was no need to declare a state of emergency in Adamawa in the first place, because the level of attacks in the state has even increased with the imposition of emergency rule. “As far as we are concerned, the state of emergency has not changed anything and we advise the government to adopt a new approach in tackling the insurgency rather than the business as usual tactics that do not add up.”
