Opposition lawmakers say no going back on plan to impeach Buhari

Opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly have insisted on their resolve to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari if he fails to address the security challenges in the country within six weeks.

Contrary to a report that the lawmakers had backed down on their plan to impeach the president, the Senators in separate interviews with Punch, said there’s no going back on the impeachment move.

Reason for the Impeachment: The plan to impeach Buhari was considered following a series of attacks by terrorists in and around the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

In July, terrorists attacked the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre and released all the 69 Boko Haram terrorists in the prison.

Days after, the Presidential Guards Brigade troops at Bwari-Kubwa road, Abuja, were attacked by another terrorist gang. A captain, lieutenant, and six soldiers were killed in the attack.

Another terrorist attack on security operatives happened on Thursday, July 28, 2022, as Boko Haram terrorists attacked a military checkpoint at Zuma rock, a few kilometers from the nation’s capital.

The attacks caused panic among Abuja residents while opposition lawmakers launched an impeachment threat against the President.

The Nigerian Senate. (Punch) Pulse Nigeria

Lawmakers Insist on Buhari's Removal: However, the People’s Democratic Party Senator representing Osun East senatorial district, Francis Fadahunsi, has said that the claim that the move to impeach the president has been jettisoned is not true.

According to Punch, Fadahunsi said the plan to remove Buhari is a unanimous decision and nothing different has been communicated to them.

When asked if the lawmakers had dropped their impeachment plan, he said “Who said so? Who are the opposition (lawmakers) that met? You did an interview with Senator Gershom Bassey who said that we meant what we said. Those people saying such are not feeling fine.

“Even northern senators are in support of the impeachment; you heard Senator Clifford (Ordia) from Edo, Senator Bulkachuwa (Mohammed) and the rest. So, who are those that told them so?’’

He said he had been a victim of the grave insecurity in the country, adding that the lawmakers may remove the Senate President first to ease the impeachment of the president.

Like Fadahunsi, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) lawmaker representing Abia South, also dismissed the claim that the plan to remove Buhari has been dropped.

Abaribe said he was not aware of such a decision, adding that the plenary was adjourned on the same day they moved to impeach the president.

“No such thing. We went on break that same day,” the lawmaker said.

Another lawmaker, Senator Orker Jev also dismissed the claim that the opposition lawmakers have dropped the impeachment move.

The lawmaker representing Benue North West Senatorial District said he was not aware of such development.

The Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Toby Okechukwu, also debunked the report that the impeachment move against Buhari by the opposition lawmakers had been stepped down.