World Bulletin/News Desk

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has formally asked parliament to extend the current state of emergency in three restive northeastern states by an additional six months, Nigeria's senate leader has announced.

Senate President David Mark read out Jonathan's request on the floor of the assembly's upper chamber.

It has yet to be seen, however, whether the president will be able to obtain lawmakers' consent to extend a measure that most observers say has failed to quellan ongoing insurgency in the region.

Lawmakers from the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) are expected to reject the proposal.

The governors of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe – three regional states in which a state of emergency has already been imposed – have all come out against the extension.

Notably, all three governors are affiliated with the opposition.

The state of emergency was initially declared in the three states in May of last year in hopes it would curb an ongoing Boko Haram insurgency that has killed thousands of people since 2009.

It is the second time Jonathan has called for extending the state of emergency after making a similar request last November.