Senators attack Okorocha over ID Card for northerners

Senators, on Thursday, condemned the proposed plan by the government of Imo State to issue Identification Cards  to northerners residing in the state.

The governor had devised the measure as a way of preventing attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents in the state.

But senators, on Thursday, condemned the measure during the debate on a motion raised by Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi.

Ningi, who quoted different sections of the Nigerian Constitution, said the proposed policy negated the nation’s laws and called on President Goodluck Jonathan to direct security agencies to reject the move.

The motions,  entitled,  “The Issuance of Identification Card to northerners residing in Imo State - Urgent call for policy reversal, indicated that the bid to register northerners in Imo State called for concern, adding that the plan was discriminatory.

According to him, the policy contravenes Section 41(1) and 42(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

He stated that if not reversed, the policy would lead to gross abuse of the citizens’ rights and could throw the entire country into chaos, which, he said, could further  threaten the survival of the nation’s democracy.

 Senator Chris Anyanwu, who is from Imo, said the policy had shown that Governor Okorocha lacked knowledge of the Nigerian Constitution.

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Anyanwu said:  “Today,  the governor of Imo State has drawn an unusual attention to himself because he failed to respect the constitutional provision of free movement, free association,  free worship which are well cherished by our people.

“Our people are the best travelled and most liberal minded in the world.  We are highly accommodating;  we are a people that are very friendly to the extent that we have a settlement for the Hausa people in Owerri, who have been living there for generations.

“I have some of the Hausa children,  most of whom are speaking better Igbo language, on my scholarship scheme while I have been sending some of their parents on hajj.

“However, someone, somewhere, who doesn’t respect the constitution of Nigeria, who doesn’t respect the law, who doesn’t believe in due process,  and who doesn’t understand our people, suddenly wakes up one morning and introduced a policy that tends to create enmity between us and our beloved neighbours.”