Ali Ndume, a senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, has asked President Bola Tinubu to impose a state of emergency on the country’s economy and security.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s “Politics Daily” show on Friday, Ndume made this call and questioned the president’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
“Let the President forget about everything and concentrate on three things – security, welfare of citizens and the economy.
“His attention should go there as number 1, then he should create a state of emergency in those areas,” he stated.
Ndume, who calls himself a democrat, said it was unexpected that Tinubu declared emergency rule in Rivers.
He claims that the President made a mistake by taking such measure on March 18 in response to the state’s ongoing political turmoil.
Remember how Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and every member of the House of Assembly for six months in a national broadcast?
Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) was appointed by the president to succeed Fubara as administrator and oversee state affairs for the first six months.
Tinubu relied on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to make the proclamation.
The Intercept reports that 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
However, Ndume stated that he expected the President to have gathered the political actors and resolved all lingering differences rather than the proclamation.
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The lawmaker also denied claims that the political actors ignored Tinubu’s directives prior to the emergency rule imposition.
“I feel that the President would have worked seriously on bringing them (and) solving the problem than (declaring a state of emergency). Call them, seat 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.
