ABUJA — Senate President, David Mark might have cut short his visit to China in order to break to lingering deadlock over the extension of state of emergency in the three northeast states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

Senate President, Sen. David Mark

The vote on the extension of emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa is expected to be taken tomorrow, having been put on hold last week in the wake of strident opposition by northern senators.

Although their counterparts in the House of Representatives immediately acquiesced to the presidential request, Northern Senators kicked against the bid, saying it was unjustified given the fact that the year‑long emergency rule in the three states had not changed the streams of attacks by Boko Haram.

The Senate President was on official visit to the Asian country last week when northern senators rejected further extension bid made to the lawmakers by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Apparently rattled by the revolt by the northern lawmakers, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the sessions, postponed voting on the matter, fearing that it could lead to a rejection of the presidential request.

In adjourning further action on the presidential request till this week, the Senators said that they needed to consult further with service chiefs and other relevant security agencies on the desirability or otherwise of the emergency rule extension.

But a member of the National Assembly confirmed to Vanguard that the voting on the extension of emergency rule was actually suspended till this week because the Senators were afraid that their northern counterparts could have their way if the vote was conducted.

The Senator said they also wanted to delay the vote to enable the Senate President, who doubles as the Chairman of the NASS, to return from his overseas trip and be able to talk to the dissenting northern senators over the issue.

“Indeed, the senators wanted to buy time to enable David Mark to return to the country and take the lead in appeasing the aggrieved northern senators, who are insisting on blocking any bid to extend emergency rule in the northeast,” the lawmaker said.

It was gathered last night that the Senate President returned to the country at the weekend and would hold strategic meetings with members of the Northern Senators’ Forum, NSF, with a view to convincing them to back down on their position.