Ebun Francis |
Some senators elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday called for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The calls came as the Senate debated the unapproved spending of $496 million by the federal government on the purchase of military helicopters from the US government.
Senators Mathew Urhoghide and Chukwuka Utazi, both opposition lawmakers said president Buhari’s action is an impeachable offence and pushed for commencement of impeachment proceedings again the president during Thursday’s plenary.
While Mathew Urhoghide from Edo state asked the upper chamber to invoke section 143 of the 1999 constitution which bothers on the impeachment of the president, Utazi from Enugu State supported his call, stating that President Buhari undermined the power of the legislature.
Urhoghide said, “The objective of the expenditure is very well established but the procedure is wrong.”
“There are serious consequences for violation of our constitution. I want this Senate to resolve that what the president did is procedurally wrong and a violation of our constitution, it must be condemned and of course, the consequences of section 143 of our constitution should be invoked.”
Utazi on his part said, “If we have a chief executive who doesn’t want to behave according to the constitution, we follow the constitution to handle such chief executive. There is no other name to call this than this is an impeachment offence. It’s an impeachable offence and we cannot allow that. We cannot stay here and this assembly will be taken for granted.”
However, Senators elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), opposed the move describing it as a “ conspiracy” by PDP.
While opposing the call, Senator Abu Ibrahim from Katsina state said Buhari approved for the withdrawal of the money “based on national interest”.
According to him, “this is the first time that money drawn from excess crude account is being brought to the national assembly (for approval).”
“Since they began to operate this account, I have never seen any expenditure that was brought here for approval,” the lawmaker said.
“This is a PDP conspiracy. I will like the PDP to tell us which of their governors have taken the money released from excess crude oil account to the state assembly for approval.
“If this is a PDP conspiracy to tarnish the image of Muhammadu Buhari, they will not be able to do it because we are coming out with figures.”
The matter was subsequently referred to the judiciary committee by Senate President Bukola Saraki.