Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Apparently frustrated by the National Assembly’s inability to halt the worsening security situation across Nigeria, two senators Tuesday asked that the National Assembly be shut down.
They made the call during a lengthy debate on a motion on the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in three local governments in Niger State.
Deliberation on the motion – which was sponsored by Niger senator Sani Musa – lasted for over an hour with over 15 senators making their contributions.
Among the contributors were former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and Kogi West senator, Smart Adeyemi. And one thing they said in common was that the legislative complex be ‘shut down’ and that Nigeria should seek foreign aide.
Mr Ekweremadu warned that any government that cannot protect its citizens has lost legitimacy and Nigeria should not be ashamed to seek international support.
“Time has come for us to, if possible, shut down this Senate and find a lasting solution to this,” he said.
Mr Adeyemi, in an emotional tone, complained that the government has been slow to tackle insecurity.
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“Let nobody deceive us. A lot of billions of naira have been voted for security services. Nothing is coming out of it. We wouldn’t wait until our nation get burned. Let us shout and call for foreign support.
“I am a full APC man and I have been supporting my party but the president should get to know that it has gotten to a point that we who are supporters and members of the APC, we can no longer keep quiet.
“Mr President, the nation is on fire. The president must rise to the occasion. It costs us nothing to get foreign support to save this country unless we will be consumed,” he said.
He then suggested the shut down of the National Assembly if needed.
“The president must know that this is a bad time for our nation. We must look for foreign support to save this nation. They are killing people in the East, West, North and South. We should shut down the National Assembly.
“Let’s shut down the National Assembly; if we cannot save this country, we stay in our homes. Our country is bleeding. People are in poverty; there’s no food. People are hungry. Insecurity is threatening us.
“We cannot pretend. It’s better we are not here than to waste time when people are dying. Every day, Nigerians are dying. We must rise to the occasion.”
PREMIUM TIMES has been reporting the various cases of insecurity across Nigeria which got worse last week. Over 200 people were killed last week and 44 others kidnapped in separate incidents. Apart from the Boko Haram insurgency which continues to cause the death of dozens of people weekly, bandits and armed persons kidnap and kill at will in some states while armed dissidents attack security officials routinely in some parts of the country.
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