—Tambuwal •Reps in closed-door session over Boko Haram Caliphate in North-East
AHEAD the 2015 election, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, on Tuesday, tasked members of the House to comport themselves in a manner worthy of true representatives of their people, stressing that “the election year is still unborn as far as the prescriptions of the Electoral Act and INEC Regulations and Guidelines are concerned, but for some, desperation has already taken over.”
The Speaker, who stated this in his speech during the commencement of the fourth and final session of the seventh session of National Assembly, added that “this is the period that will test our resolve of faithfulness to the execution of our mandate and the competing interest of our personal aspiration.”
He then charged the members that “as we conduct ourselves with due regard to the serious security challenge of insurgency and terrorism with bloodletting on the rise and the general volatile political atmosphere, the people should be our prime focus, because without the people, there will be no country and, therefore, nothing to represent or to govern.”
According to him, “it is a matter for grave concern that the insurgency in the North-Eastern states of the country has graduated from sporadic acts of violence to an alarming situation, where acquisition of territory has become the main focus, thus threatening our territorial integrity.
“I seize this opportunity to commend our military and the security agencies for their gallant determination in flushing out insurgency. Our troops need full kitting, equipment and motivation which meet current international standards, so as to insulate them from avoidable loss of lives, limbs and also to meet the force of the offensive.
“The proposal by the Federal Government to establish a Special Forces Unit to deal with insurgency and terrorism is welcome news, one worthy of commendation. I am confident that the resolve of government in this regard will deliver the desired dividends in terms of acquisition of operational expertise.”
On the Ebola virus, he said “in response a special ad hoc committee on Ebola is, hereby, instituted with the mandate to work closely with the Ministry of Health and the six-man committee on Ebola to enhance legislative liaison and to provide all the requisite legislative support for the success of the project. I also urge all my colleagues, staff and, indeed, the National Assembly, to observe and promote the message of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.”
One issue of electronic voting in the House, he said: “As members are aware this is one of the high points of our legislative agenda document, the system has been fully installed, yet manual voting continues. We need not enumerate the importance of legislative voting to both the legislator as a record of reference and self-assessment and the electorate as an accurate means of assessing their representatives on general performance as well as legislative disposition.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives, on Tuesday, held a closed-door session for several hours over the Boko Haram insurgents’ alleged declaration of Caliphate in the North-Eastern part of the country.
The insurgents were said to have taken over some local governments in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
Before the House dissolved into executive session, a member, Honourable Tairu Monguno, from Borno State, had in a motion under national urgent public importance, told the House that the dreaded sect, Boko Haram, were now in control of seven local government areas in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
According to Honourable Monguno, Boko Haram memnbers had established its caliphate in those areas and were moving freely, harassing citizens, as soldiers in those areas had been over powered.
In Borno State, the insurgents had taken over and hoisted their flags in Gwoza, Gamboru-Ngala and Banki, local government areas.
Bama and Damboa, which were earlier taken over by the insurgents, had been reclaimed by the military.
In Adamawa State, the insurgents are in control of Michika and Gulak local government areas, while in Yobe State, they have taken over Buni-Yadi Local Government Area.
Furthermore, he said that our military were well armed, but were not performing because they were not motivated. He urged the the House to call on the Federal Government to mobilise and clear the insurgents from this area, as people were living with fear.
Adding that many local governments in northern Borno and other parts were gradually coming under the control of the Boko Haram, stating that such local government share international boundaries with Niger, Cameroon and Chad. He said most governent officials had fled the area, while the members of the Boko Haram operated freely unhindered in military camouflage uniform.
Speaker of the House, Tambuwal announced a closed door session for the House to be properly briefed and after the session, it resolved that the House Committee on Defence should liaise with that of Senate Committee on Defence to faction ways to assist the Federal Government in nabbing the insurgents.
He also said an ad hoc committee would be set up to get relief materials for Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
