…Lists Conditions For Peace With Executive …As Rep Alleges Collation Of Signatures, Impeachment Notice On Buhari The National Assembly after its joint executive session on Tuesday threatened to invoke its constitutional powers of impeachment on President Muhammadu Buhari if he fails to adhere to the 11-point resolutions it reached. To this end, the legislature arising from a 3-hour closed doors meeting, jointly listed conditions for peace between it and the executive arm of government. This was even as a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Muhammad Gudaji Kazaure (APC, Jigawa), alleged that lawmakers were already collating signatures with a view to serving President Muhammadu Buhari impeachment notice. The resolutions read: “That the President must give a marching order to the security agencies to curtail ongoing killings in the country and promote security of lives and property of innocent Nigerians”. “The systemic harassment and humiliation of percieved opponents and people with contrary opinions by the police must be brought to an end. The President must be held accountable for the violation of the principles of separation of powers, the rule of law and the excesses of his appointees. “Government must show sincerity in the fight against corruption, sanctity of the National Assembly must be protected and government must prosecute those who invaded the National Assembly and hijacked the mace. “Natioanl Assembly will liaise with the international community such as the ECOWAS Parliament, the EU, the UN, Civil Society Organizations, the United States and the United Kingdom, to save the country’s democracy. “Government must curtail the growing state of unemployment, the vote of no confidence passed on the IGP is upheld by both chambers of the National Assembly. “Pass Vote of of confidence on the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the entire leadership of the National Assembly”, the legislature said. It however threatened to invoke relevant sections of the constitution should the President fails to adhere to the demands contained in the resolutions. “And if nothing is done, the National Assembly will not hesitate to invoke its powers on the Executive”, the communique read. Meanwhile, as the session was on, signatures were allegedly being collated by lawmakers with a view to serving President Muhammadu Buhari with impeachment notice. Addressing journalists after the season, Hon. Muhammad Gudaji who was one of the minority voices against the resolutions alleged that the threat of impeachment was only a smoke screen as members were already gathering signatures. Kazaure who said he supported any call for sanctions or sack of federal appointees who undermine the legislature or fail to act with a view to curbing incessant killing of Nigerians, however vowed to mobilise his colleagues and other Nigerians against any attempt to impeach the President. “I’m in total support of the resolution that upheld vote of no confidence on the IGP and even his sack. And I also support the one that condemned the killings of innocent Nigerians. “But the one I don’t support is the one they are saying that they want to issue impeachment notice by invoking the constitution. I will do everything possible to make sure it doesn’t happen. “We have the number to make sure that nothing like that happens in this place, because that’s not the solution to the problem as I’m sure that the President is not the one sending the IGP to summon the Senate President. “How can the IGP be summoning a whole Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when so many people are dying and everyone is worried? Both sides had earlier commenced separate sessions at exactly 11am Tuesday after observing routine legislative rituals of prayer before collapsing both meetings into one. The session which commenced at exactly 12:35pm was announced by Speaker Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives. Origin Of Face-off: Recall that the Senate, as well as the House of Representatives had on different occasions made tough calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to to rejig the country’s security architecture following escalating insecurity arising from activities of killer herdsmen, kidnappers, armed robbery and other violent crimes. Lawmakers have moved motions leading to resolutions asking the President change his service chiefs and other heads of security agencies, saying that they had outlived their usefulness on the job. None of the resolutions was heeded by the executive. Frustrated by a barrage of cries and petitions against security operatives regarding extra judicial killings and alleged biased approaches adopted in fighting insecurity, the lawmakers openly passed votes of no confidence on the Service Chiefs on the part of the military, and the inspector general of police, Mr Ibrahim Kpotum Idris. Another talking point was the withdrawal of $496m for the purchase of 12 Super Tucano President, Bukola Saraki and other presiding aircrafts from the government of the United States of America without the National Assembly’s approval. The report of the Senate Committee on Justice and Legal Matters headed by senator David Umaru (APC, Niger) to determine whether the President actually breached the constitution and to what extent, is still pending. Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, from Delta Central was suspended for 90 legislative days following the adoption of the report of the Senate committee on ethics and privileges and public petitions, led by Samuel Anyanwu from Enugu state. A week later, Omo-Agege, who in line with the Senate rules was not supposed to come anywhere near the National Assembly, allegedly stormed the Senate chamber on Wednesday April 18 with 5 thugs and removed the mace while the Senate was in session. While the mace was recovered by and returned by the police, none of the culprits has been arrested till date despite resolutions by both chambers asking security agencies to bring them to book. Just as the dust barely settled on that, the police took on senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial District over allegations of gun running and sponsorship of political thuggery in the state. Melaye’s eventual arrest by the police following series of attempts again further angered the legislature, particularly with regards to the manner in which he was handled. Series of invitations to the IGP to appear before the Senate for explanations failed to yield desired results as he repeatedly sent DIG to represent him, contrary to the lawmakers expectations. This led to a resolution of the Senate declaring the IGP as a threat to the nation’s democracy and unfit for any public office both within and outside Nigeria. Recently, President Buhari angered the lawmakers with his comments which they believed question their usefulness and competence as elected legislators. The President who was receiving in audience, members of Buhari Support Group led by the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali said many of the lawmakers have been in the Assembly for more than ten years but have nothing to show for their stay. A video evidence to that effect was tendered before the Senate by Dino Melaye which was received and kept in view. Days later, the police issued a surprise summon on the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, asking him to report to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), to explain his role in the Offa robbery incident during which 33 people include police officers were killed. Again, on Sunday, presiding officers of the legislature had the number of their security details from the Department of State Services (DSS) reduced by half. No specific reason was given for the withdrawal of the operatives, neither was there any reaction from the legislature to that effect.]]>
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