The House of Representatives on Friday said that it would convene an emergency session on Jan. 8 to deliberate on the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol.
The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) on Jan. 1, announced the removal of subsidy on petrol.
Rep. Isaka Bawa (PDP-Taraba), the Chief Whip of the House, who made the announcement in Abuja on Friday at a media briefing, said that the emergency sitting was at the request of the leaders of the various political parties in the House.
”The speaker has directed that all members should resume at 3 p.m. in accordance with Order 5 (18) (2) of the House standing rules.”
Bawa maintained that as representatives of the people, the legislators could not sit at a distance while the nation was engulfed in serious trouble.
He said that the House might equally deliberate on the emergency rule declared in 15 Local Government Areas in Niger, Plateau, Yobe and Borno states by President Goodluck Jonathan.
”We have only Sunday and we are giving a 24 hour notice to our members to be at the chamber by Sunday.
”We will look at the dimension of the issue of subsidy removal announced by the Federal Government on Jan. 1.
”We want to look at the emergency rule in some parts of the country which was equally declared by the President.”
In his contribution, Rep. Samson Osagie (ACN-Edo), Minority Whip, said that the House would also deliberate on the murder of some unarmed protesters as well as the 2012 budget.
According to him, it has become ‘urgently important’ for the House to re-convene because ‘our intervention could bring some succour’ to the nation.
He said that apart from being backed by its standing rules to reconvene at any time of the week if need arises, the issue at hand is serious enough for the House to sit on a Sunday.
The House was originally scheduled to reconvene on Jan. 10 from the Christmas break.