Breaking News: More than 80 senators and members of the House of Representatives submitted a motion for impeachment.

Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports.

They decided that the matter would be one of the issues to be considered after the six-week deadline, in order to determine whether to impeach Buhari alone or with his deputy, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

The issue arose during plenary proper, when the order paper was not amended to accommodate public debate on the issue.

Senate Minority Leader Philip Aduda (FCT) expressed concern about the deterioration of security and demanded an open debate, as agreed during the closed session.

Invoking an unspecified point of order, he asked the chamber to set a six-week deadline for President Buhari to address the issue of insecurity or face impeachment.

“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,” he said.

Lawan chastised Aduda in his ruling on his point of order for failing to submit his request in accordance with the rules that govern the upper chamber’s proceedings.

According to him, “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.”
The Senate leader was then directed by Lawan to proceed with the items on the order paper.

Lawan concluded his remarks by urging the country’s security agencies to be more vigilant and to do more to combat the rising tide of insecurity across states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), perpetrated by terrorists.

Lawan, speaking to lawmakers shortly before the upper chamber adjourned for its annual recess until September 20, urged political leaders to be mindful of their responsibility to protect citizens’ lives. He also decried terrorists’ incessant killing and maiming of Nigerians.

He assured that the National Assembly would provide the military with the necessary assistance to restore security to affected areas of the country.

“As a result of our various interactions, including today’s critical closed session, I am particularly concerned, as are all of us here.” We (the Federal Government) must be vigilant and aware of our responsibilities, particularly in terms of securing and protecting the lives of our citizens.

“The security situation has been a very difficult and challenging one, but, recently, there has been an increase of attacks, killings and maiming of our citizens. As a part of this administration, we will always provide the kind of support that our military and other security agencies require.

“We have done that before through appropriation and approval of supplementary budget of 2022, where over N900 billion was given as additional funding to our security agencies. We know that it may not be enough, but that is significant, and we expect our security agencies to do far better than they are doing at the moment. As political leaders, we must have it in mind that we are responsible to the citizens.”

But the minority leader, who would not take any of that, angrily led almost half of the senators in the chambers across all political parties to stage a walkout, chanting: “Buhari Must Go” “Lawan Must Go”, as they filed out from the red chamber.

The senators who were upset, including all PDP members, some APC colleagues, and others from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, New Nigerian People’s Party, Labour Party, and Young Peoples Party, later gathered at the Senate Press Corps to address journalists.

Aduda, who spoke on their behalf, bemoaned the fact that Lawan prevented the Senate from taking a firm stance on the country’s embarrassing security challenges during plenary.

“We went into a closed-door session,” he explained. During the closed-door session, various security issues were discussed. We also took note that the Senate had recommended to the government, at various fora, times, and meetings, steps to be taken to address the issue of insecurity, but we have realized that even Abuja is no longer safe.

“So, in closed session, we agreed to give the president an ultimatum, and if he does not comply, we will move to impeach him.” This was our agreement during the executive session, but when we emerged, the Senate President refused to make our resolution public.

“Since that did not occur, we have come here in protest to let Nigerians know that we stand with them and are concerned.” We staged a walkout from the chambers to demonstrate that security in Nigeria is out of control and that immediate action is required to address the issues.

“We have come here to say that we have passed so many resolutions on security, that we have provided all the support and enabling appropriation that they require,” Aduda continued.

Adamu Bulkachuwa was one of the APC senators spotted among the protesting senators (Bauchi North). Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA Abia South), Ibrahim Shekarau (NNPP Kano Central), and Francis Onyewuchi were also present ( Labour Party, Imo East ).

Impeachment Is a Collective Decision Threat, Say APC Senators

Meanwhile, Smart Adeyemi, the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, told journalists on Wednesday that the decision to serve Buhari with an impeachment notice was reached in an executive session prior to the plenary.

“I believe it is incorrect to say opposition. The Senate made a unanimous decision to issue an ultimatum, and the only difference between what the opposition eventually said is a matter of semantics.

“We said we’d give the president six weeks; they said they’d serve impeachment papers right away.” We all agreed that we would leave in six weeks.

“The opposition said we had to give notice, but we said it had to be a six-week ultimatum, and they said what happens after six weeks?” We advised them to wait six weeks before proceeding. “I don’t notice any difference,” he stated.

In an interview with journalists, Abaribe confirmed that the decision was made collectively in closed session, saying, “We all agreed that the impeachment notice should be served on President Muhammadu Buhari if he could not address insecurity within six weeks.” It is not a decision of the opposition parties.”
“I think it is wrong to say opposition. It was a collective decision of the senate, to give ultimatum, the only difference from what the opposition are eventually saying is a matter of semantics.

“We said that we are giving the president six weeks, they said they are serving impeachment notice immediately. We all agreed that we will move after six weeks.

“The opposition said we must give notice but we say it has to be six weeks ultimatum, they said after six weeks what happens? We said they should wait till after six weeks first. I don’t see any difference,” he said.

Also speaking with journalists, Abaribe confirmed that it was a collective decision taken at closed session, saying, “We all agreed that the impeachment notice should be served on President Muhammadu Buhari if he could not tackle insecurity within the six weeks. It is not an opposition parties decision.”

When contacted, Senate Spokesperson, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said he was not part of the closed session, but claimed he was concerned about the insecurity situation in the country.

“There should be an executive-legislative strategy to tackle the situation. It is becoming worrisome and we cannot continue like this,” he said.

How Wase Blocked Elumelu from Pushing Impeachment in House

Interesting, similar drama played out in the House of Representatives, whose members across political parties, had equally agreed at their closed-door session to concur with their senate counterparts, but was bungled by the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, who blocked the move.

According to a ranking member of the minority caucus, the whole plan was initially messed up by Senator Aduda, who did not stick to plan as agreed to by all the federal lawmakers and across parties.

The source hinted that, the decision was meant to be taken together in nation’s interest before the senators made the move first in a disruptive manner.

However, in the house, the decision, as it was in the senate, was also unanimous as nearly everyone supported the idea of impeaching Buhari.

But when they got to plenary and the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, signaled for recognition, Wase, who presided since Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, was away, allegedly switched off Elumelu’s mic, and thus prevented him from formally moving the motion on the floor of the House.

This, development, was believed to have angered other members of the House, who have resolved to meet again today, being a decision of the caucuses of both legislative houses, on how to further discussions on the impeachment of the president.

The presidency, yesterday, reacted to planned impeachment of President Buhari by the Senate, saying the Senators should stop playing to gallery like their counterparts in the United States, because their decision to stage a walkout was babyish.

Rather, it advised the senators to collaborate with government in a bid to solve the myriad of problems facing the nation, including current global cost of living crisis.

Presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a release stated: “The performative and babyish antics of those senators staging a walk out notwithstanding, Senate President Ahmad Lawan’s refusal on Wednesday to entertain the ridiculous motion to impeach our President was quite appropriate and correct.

“Rather than making a mockery out of voters by trying to imitate what they see in America, the opposition would be well-advised that their time would be better spent tackling the pressing issues Nigerians face, such as the current global cost of living crisis. Their continued failure to do so goes some way to explaining why they remain in opposition.

“In contrast, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, is committed to finding lasting solutions to the emerging security threats, including those left behind by the PDP in the South-south, the Northeast and throughout the federation. In the last 24 hours, two more Chibok girls were freed, in addition to the three brought home last week.

“These kinds of headline grabbing stunts for which the opposition is now well-known serve no one, least of all their constituents. We would respectfully remind them that it is those same constituents that they were elected to serve, and are paid to do so with public money.

“We would welcome their collaboration in our efforts to solve the problems Nigerians face on a daily basis. No one is asking them to waste their time attempting to impeach a democratically elected president at the end of his second term – certainly not their constituents.

“They should ask themselves: do they want to be in government or do they want to be in the headlines? If they want to be in government they should start acting like it and stop undermining Nigerian voters”.

However, making a case for the president, the federal government, yesterday, reacted to threats of impeachment by the Senate and House of Representatives, saying government was currently working around the clock to bring the country’s security situation under control.

Briefing newsmen after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by the president at the State House, Abuja, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, lauded the Senators for their patriotism and concerns, saying steps were being taken to address the security challenges.

According to him, “Resolution passed by Senators, as rightly said, it was passed when we were deliberating, but we thank them for their patriotism and their concern, but we are working round the clock, 24 hours, to ensure that the situation is brought under control.

“I want to assure you that the president is aware of all these and as a matter of fact, I think tomorrow there’s going to be another Security Council meeting. So, it’s not a matter the president is taking lightly and like I’ll always say, some of the measures we’re going to take are not measure that you can discuss openly here, but we’re as concerned as you are, we’re not going to abandon our responsibility.”

On the reported threat by terrorists to kidnap the President, the minister described it as laughable and mere propaganda.

“As to those who have issued threats to Mr. President, I think it’s more of propaganda than anything. It’s laughable,” he said.

Mohammed also said the FEC had approved a memo by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, for a standard operation procedure on maintaining the civilian and humanitarian character of asylum seekers in Cameroon.

His words: “You all know that due to the insurgency in Cameroon, Nigeria has witnessed an influx of Cameroonian asylum seekers and there’s basic standard procedures for you to be granted status as an asylum seeker.

“This is what the council considered and approved today. And basically, it’s that anybody from Cameroon who’s seeking asylum in Nigeria must first convinced the authorities that he or she has actually renounced armed struggle, before you can even be considered as an asylum seeker.

“Also, there are cases of some of them, who have come even when they claimed to have surrendered their arms, go back at times, to join the separatist movement in Cameroon. So, the procedure was explained and approved today that will evaluate the basic criteria to grant asylum.”

“The issue of the standard operating procedure for Cameroonian asylum seekers did not begin today,” Mohammed explained, explaining why the issue of asylum seekers should be considered at this time when the country is facing security challenges.

“The issue of the separatist movement in Cameroon is many years old, and every day, because of Cameroon’s proximity to Nigeria, we’ve seen an influx of refugees seeking asylum, and under international regulations, there are certain procedures you must take for asylum seekers.”

“So, all we’ve done today is set up a standard procedure to ensure that those claiming to be asylum seekers are not insurgents seeking to destabilize Nigeria or people planning to launch attacks against their own country from the safety of Nigeria.”