The lawmaker representing Bauchi North Senatorial District, Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, has disclosed that majority of members of the Senate are in support of the move to impeach the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), over the failure of his regime to address the growing insecurity in Nigeria.
Bulkachuwa, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, the party with the majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives, said almost all members of the Senate backed the move when the lawmakers were in an executive (closed-door) session at the plenary last Wednesday.
The senators threatened to impeach the President over the worsening insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and the country at large.
The angry lawmakers gave the President a six-week ultimatum to address the security crisis or face impeachment proceedings.
Speaking on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, Bulkachuwa, on Monday, stated that the previous efforts especially made by the National Assembly to end the security crisis had failed.
He also said the lawmakers, at the closed-door session, also raised the issues of the economy.
Recalling some of the events that played out on the fateful day, the lawmaker said, “In the first instance, on that day, the Senate went into a closed session and it was at the closed session that these issues were discussed. Without divulging so much, I can tell you that majority of senators really felt there was the need to initiate that action.”
When asked if they included APC lawmakers and if the resolution was unanimous, Bulkachuwa stated, “It was not 100% unanimous per se but the majority supported it. And this didn’t come out to public knowledge because it was during a closed session. And (as) you know, closed sessions or executive sessions, there are no journalists, not even (members of) staff of the Assembly. It is purely a meeting of lawmakers – senators that are present on that day.”
The APC lawmaker, however stated that it was not the question of the ruling party but “what is happening is that we in the legislative arm of the government, we have tried all within our powers except one thing.”
He pointed out that the parliament had tried financing, “making sure that he gets all he needs by way of budgeting.”
He said the lawmakers also tried to engage the service chiefs and other heads of security agencies to find out their challenges “and when they divulge their problems to us, we try to proffer solutions and we go ahead to advise Mr President.”
Bulkachuwa added, “When we realised that all that have not actually worked, the security situation was getting worse and even the financial situation in the country is not improving, we thought we are just one arm of the government and we are limited in the execution of proposals and the actual enforcement of suggestions and laws; we are not responsible for all that.
“What we can do is try to draw the attention of the Executive (of the government) that we have tried everything and the only thing we have not tried is that we have to draw your attention to the fact that we have a constitutional responsibility to pull your ears at it were by way of notice of impeachment and give you a chance.”
The Senator said he was of the view that, “something can happen and we are still hopeful” that Buhari would take drastic measures before the ultimatum issued to him elapses.
“If you notice, since that day, Mr President met with the security chiefs and within the security apparatus, so many changes have occurred.”