Opposition Senators call for Buhari’s impeachment over insecurity

Senators mainly of the minority block and one All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker on Wednesday called for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari over the alleged worsening insecurity in the country.

They gave President Buhari six weeks to curb insecurity or face a formal notice of impeachment from them.

The Senators staged a walk out of plenary following Senate President Ahmad Lawan’s refusal to accede to a motion moved by Minority Leader Philip Aduda that the Senate should debate the cases of rising insecurity in the country.

The Senators, who briefed newsmen after walking out of the Senate Chamber, insisted that they had during their closed-door session, which lasted for two hours, agreed that they would deliberate on rising insecurity and give Buhari an ultimatum to either address insecurity or be impeached.

They expressed anger that Lawan refused to abide by their resolution to debate the issue of insecurity after reverting to plenary from the closed door session.

Apart from Aduda, other Senators who walked out of the Senate Chambers and participated in the briefing include Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA); George Sekibo (PDP); Mohammed Bulkachuwa (APC – Bauchi North); Betty Apiafi (PDP); Christopher Ekpenyong (PDP); Nicholas Tofowomo, Francis Alimikhena (PDP), Adamu Aliero (PDP), Ahmad Babba-Kaita (PDP); Ibrahim Shekarau (NNPP); Matthew Urhoghide (PDP) and Istifanus Gyang (PDP).

Others are Francis Onyewuchi (PDP) Chukwuka Utazi (PDP), Biodun Olujimi (PDP); Akon Eyankeyi (PDP); Obinna Ogba (PDP); Ayo Akinyelure (PDP); Danjuma La’ah (PDP); Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP), Emmanuel Okar-jev (PDP); Uche Ekwunife (PDP), Clifford Ordia (PDP), etc.

Aduda (FCT) had protested the worsening security situation during plenary.

Rising under a point of order, which he did not cite, Aduda requested the chamber to give a six-week ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to address the issue of insecurity or face impeachment.

Aduda said, “Mr. President, you may wish to recall that during the closed session, we discussed the issues as they relate to security in the country and all the issues around it.

“And we had also discussed that we are going to come back to plenary to discuss the efforts that have been made so far on the issue of security in the country, after which we give an ultimatum to the President that he resolves this issue, otherwise we give an impeachment notice.”

The Senate President, while ruling on Aduda’s point of order, faulted the minority leader for failing to put forward his request in accordance with the upper chamber’s rules which regulates its proceedings.

Lawan in his ruling said: “Minority Leader, when you’re going to come under a point of order, first, you’re supposed to cite the order.

“Secondly, you’re supposed to discuss with me what you’re going to raise on the floor. You didn’t.

“Thirdly, we have already passed that stage. So, at this moment, I really don’t know what the point of order is, as such it falls flat on its face.”

Following the comment by the Senate President, opposition Senators led by Aduda staged a walk out of the chambers during plenary.

The aggrieved opposition senators later addressed the Senate Press Corps and gave President Muhammadu Buhari six weeks ultimatum to address rising insecurity in the country and also implement all senate resolutions to that effect or face impeachment proceedings.

Aduda said: “We went into a closed session to discuss issues as they relate to security in this country especially the happenings in Abuja and happenings all over the country and we agreed that the primary responsibility of government is the protection of lives and property of citizens.

“For us the minority caucus in the Senate, we also took into cognizance the fact that the Senate had at various times convened various security meetings, various security issues were discussed and we did recommend to government various steps and measures aimed at curbing these issues of insecurity.

“We realise that even Abuja that we are in is no safer and all of you will agree with us. So, at the close session we agreed that we will give the President an ultimatum that if it is not complied with we will move immediately to give an impeachment notice.

Credit: The Nation