Senator Ali Ndume, representing the Borno South Senatorial District, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the nation’s security and economy sectors.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Daily on Friday, Ndume urged the President to focus solely on these critical areas, stating, “Let the President forget about everything and concentrate on three things – security, welfare of citizens, and economy.”
He emphasized that Tinubu’s attention should be on these priorities as a matter of urgency. “His attention should go there as number 1, then he should create a state of emergency in those areas.”
While a strong advocate for democratic principles, Ndume expressed surprise over the President’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
He criticized the move, which followed a prolonged political crisis in the oil-rich state, and called it a misstep.
On March 18, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state House of Assembly for six months. He appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as administrator to oversee the state’s affairs during this period. The President invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which allows the declaration of a state of emergency in cases of national danger or disaster.
However, Ndume questioned the necessity of such a proclamation, suggesting that the President should have instead gathered the key political figures involved and worked towards resolving the dispute.
“I feel that the President would have worked seriously on bringing them (and) solving the problem than declaring a state of emergency,” he said.
He also rejected claims that the political actors had ignored the President’s previous directives before the emergency rule was imposed.
“How can you ignore the President? When he removed them now, did they ignore the removal?” Ndume queried.
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