Senators and members of the house of representatives have started collecting signatures for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari, according to a report in TheCable.
The lawmakers, who are not happy with the decision of the president to approve $469 million for the procurement of 12 Super Tucano aircraft from the US without their backing.
According to the publication, the issue of impeachment first arose at the house of reps on Wednesday. While deliberating on a letter Buhari wrote to the national assembly, saying he had anticipated that the lawmakers would approve the withdrawal, Kingsley Chinda from Rivers state, asked his colleagues to commence impeachment proceedings against Buhari.
Citing sections 80 and 81 of 1999 constitution, the lawmaker said the Nigerian law does not recognise anticipatory approval.
However, on Thursday, some members of the lower legislative chamber said they had decided that rather than initiate impeachment proceedings against the president, the committee on rules and business should look for a way to resolve the matter.
But a legislative source told the Online publication that the lawmakers were only being diplomatic.
“As I speak to you, signatures for the impeachment of Mr. President are being collected in both chambers of the national assembly,” the source said.
“The lawmakers are very angry and are ready to nail this act once and for all. Don’t forget that this is not the first time that the president would disregard the legislature in taking key decisions… the matter has been referred to the committees (in both chambers) and they will advise them on the way forward as regards the anticipatory approval. But based on the illegality of Mr. President’s action, they have started gathering signatures for his impeachment in both chambers.
“Buhari had since September 2017 to consult with the leadership of the national assembly leadership over this issue but he did not do so. Last year, a Congress delegation met with the leadership of the national assembly based on Trump’s request to sell the aircraft to Nigeria but our president decided to do things his own way.”
The source said while Chinda is among those coordinating the collection of signatures in the lower legislative chamber, some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators are behind it in the Senate.