Section.143 Of The 1999 Constitution Is For Impeachment Of Non-Performing President — Falana SAN

A foremost lawyer and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has said that the statement credited to Femi Adesina, the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, that some disgruntled religious and political leaders are working with “external forces” to overthrow the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, is uncalled for.

The learned made this statement Wednesday, in an interview with AIT Television, watched by TheNigerialawyer(TNL )

Falana, SAN, in his statement described the action of the Presidency as cheap, irresponsible, and very provocative.

He said in the first place the call was totally uncalled for. 

The government must learn to respect the sensitivity and sensibility of Nigerians.  But one can understand for an administration headed by a former military dictator who sacked a democratically elected government.”

“We can understand the fear of the regime, on a very serious note, good Public Relations management would have dictated to the regime that the statement from the Presidency was totally unnecessary.

Having regard to the fact that the military high command issued a statement on Monday dissociating itself from the call by a lawyer for a military intervention…to arrest the worsening security situation in the country.  That has been the only call.”

“So when the presidency issued a statement that was alleging some religious, nationality group leaders have concluded arrangements to overthrow the regime. That was rather cheap, irresponsible, and very provocative.”

The regime must learn to respect Nigerians. We have gone beyond all these. Why are we in these messes? For me, that is the issue that should be addressed. Why are people calling  for a balkanization of a country?”

Why are they calling for a regime change? By the way, a regime change does not mean a coup.  It can be by impeachment.  Once it is crystal clear that an administration can no longer secure the lives and properties of the Nigerian people we can fall back on the constitution, Section 143 was not inserted in the Constitution for a joke.  It is to impeach a President who cannot perform.” 

TheNigerialawyer reported that Adesina on Tuesday said there were plans by some  Nigerian leaders to recruit heads of some ethnic groups and politicians to pass a vote of no confidence on Buhari and “throw the land into further turmoil”.

He said: “Championed by some disgruntled religious and past political leaders, the intention is to eventually throw the country into a tailspin, which would compel a forceful and undemocratic change of leadership”

“Further unimpeachable evidence shows that these disruptive elements are now recruiting the leadership of some ethnic groups and politicians round the country, with the intention of convening some sort of conference, where a vote of no confidence would be passed on the president, thus throwing the land into further turmoil.

“The agent provocateurs hope to achieve through artifice and sleight of hands, what they failed to do through the ballot box in the 2019 elections.

“Nigerians have opted for democratic rule, and the only acceptable way to change a democratically elected government is through elections, which hold at prescribed times in the country. Any other way is patently illegal and even treasonable. Of course, such would attract the necessary consequences.

“These discredited individuals and groups are also in cahoots with external forces to cause maximum damage in their own country. But the presidency, already vested with mandate and authority by Nigerians till 2023, pledges to keep the country together, even if some unruly feathers would be ruffled in the process.”