The House of Representatives will reconvene on Thursday to hold a special session to deliberate on the merits or otherwise of President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for the extension of emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.
A meeting of the House leadership presided over by the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, on Tuesday endorsed the special session.
Tambuwal confirmed the reconvening in a statement he signed on Tuesday evening.
Part of the statement reads, “On Tuesday, 18th November 2014, I received a communication from the President, Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, requesting for the extension of the existing State of Emergency in Adamawa , Borno and Yobe States by the House of Representatives.
“Pursuant to the powers conferred on me by Section 305 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which requires me to ‘forthwith convene or arrange a meeting of the House’ and in order to treat the extension before the expiration of the current State of Emergency in accordance with Section 305 (6) (c) of the Constitution, I hereby reconvene the House of Representatives, currently on Recess”.
The statement added that the session will be held on Thursday by 11am.
Tomorrow’s sitting will be the first since October 28, when Mr. Tambuwal announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress and the session is expected to feature concerns from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party on whether or not Tambuwal will retain his seat as speaker.
