The lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the nation’s security and economy sectors.
He made this call on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Daily, where he also faulted the President’s declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich Rivers State.
“Let the President forget about everything and concentrate on three things – security, welfare of citizens, and economy,” he stated.
“His attention should go there as number 1, then he should create a state of emergency in those areas.”
Describing himself as a democrat, he said Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers was surprising.
He said the President made a wrong move by that action on March 18, following the protracted political crisis in the state.
In a nationwide broadcast, Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months.
The president nominated Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state for the first six months.
The president relied on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to make the proclamation. The section interprets a state of emergency as a situation of national danger, disaster or terrorist attacks in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control
But Ndume stated that he expected the President to have gathered the political actors and resolved all lingering differences rather than the proclamation.
He also denied claims that the political actors ignored Tinubu’s directives before the emergency rule.
“I feel that the President would have worked seriously on bringing them and solving the problem rather than declaring a state of emergency. Call them, sit them down and say ‘go and sort your problem.
“How can you ignore the President? When he removed them now, did they ignore the removal?” Ndume queried.
