By Tony Obiechina, Abuja 

A group has cautioned against the planned impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari by the Senate. 

Minority members of the Senate recently walked out of the plenary  threatening to commence Impeachment procedures against the President if he fails to address the growing insecurity in the country.

The group, under the banner of Non State Actors Consultative Forum (NOSACOF) said in statement  in Abuja that it was improper to start talking about Impeaching  the President now given the economic and security challenges the country is presently facing.

The statement which was jointly signed by 

Abdulrazaq Alkali Bako, Lead Convener and Ernest Bako, Co-convener, said, “We the members of Non State Actors Consultative forum (NOSACOF) feel a sense of responsibility to lend our voice on this issue in defence of democracy and the unity of Nigeria”.

The statement further reads: “The economic and security challenges bedevilling Nigeria as a nation have got worse in recent months. More and more Nigerians have fallen below the poverty line, and terrorism by bandits and faceless terrorist acting against defenceless citizens have continued with little resistance from the Nigeria’s security apparatus. 

“Inflation is on the rise, and citizens are finding it very difficult to keep up cost of living. There have been a lot of fingers pointing, as well as accusations and counter accusation between citizens and the government as well as between warring ethnic nationalities. It is indeed a very trying time for Nigerians!

“While Majority of Nigerians blame the government for not fulfilling its promise on improving and protecting lives and properties of citizens, the government is also accusing some citizens of selfishness and not fulfilling their citizenry duty of community policing but instead some are colluding with terrorist and serving as informant for the terror groups, thus making it difficult for the Nigerian security operatives to overcome the terror groups. 

“While there are some truths to both arguments, one thing that stands out and contribute to the shortcomings from both parties (citizens and leaders) can be related to economic challenges the country is facing. However, it should be clear to all that the recent economic challenges are largely a global challenge resulting from the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. 

“However, Nigerians may find it more challenging compared to other countries due to the fact that over the previous decades, previous administrations have failed to invest in agriculture, infrastructure, crude oil refining and in modernising the security infrastructure. All these have combined to make the insecurity problems more complex to solve.

“Amidst all these turbulence, legislative chambers in Nigeria are most at times full of drama’s due to the incompetent behaviour of some the legislators, a dangerously new twist have started to unfold in the National Assembly, where some members of the opposition and some disgruntled members of the ruling party are making moves for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari and fuelling accusations and sentiments against the president and his team in order to get backing from Nigerians. 

“However, in doing so, they have failed to look at the failures of both national assemblies (house and senate) and how their incompetence’s have contributed to the worsening economic and security the situation in Nigeria. We can all agree that the current security problems of Nigeria today have been as a result of accumulation of years of incompetence, selfishness, greed, injustice and corruption perpetrated by mostly political leaders who are shielded by ethnic and religious entities, a weak and corrupt justice system and to some extend by common citizens. 

“As such despite some weakness on the part the President Muhammad Buhari, it will be unjust to lay all the blame on his table and start calling for his impeachment, rather the legislators should focus on finding real solutions of making citizens-oriented legislation that will bring solutions to the insecurities tormenting the country. 

“They have also failed to carryout the oversight functions on the various security arms of the government despite billions of dollars budgeted for security, instead majority of them have focused their attention on befriending the head of these agencies in their chase for getting contracts and other financials gains.  And that we have come to realize the move to impeach the president is orchestrated by mostly members of the ruling APC who lost out at the presidential primaries and senatorial of the party. 

“Most of those in the forefront of the impeachment struggle are agents of some defeated candidates that will benefit if the president is impeached. While there are others supporting the impeachment out of sheer frustration to pull down the APC since they won’t return to the red chambers having been defeated earlier in the contest.

Section 143 of the 1999 constitution as amended have outline the steps and guidelines to be followed for the impeachment of a sitting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

“The question here is whether the legislators championing the move for impeachment s are willing to follow due process or they just want to create a high-level chaos that capable of completely plunging the country in worse internal conflicts, it may never recover from. It is very clear that promoters of the impeachment neither have the numbers nor the facts and evidence to successfully impeach the president, but just want to serve a selfish motive and interest. It is imperative for well meaning Nigerians not to allow themselves to be played by the selfish interest of a few, whose action will worsen the fragile situation in this country.

” It is very important for Nigerians to exercise caution and allow democratic process to take place through proper electoral transition, the general election is just around the corner, and the current administration will leave less than year from now. The ball is now in our court as Nigerians to vote for competent leaders for both executive and legislative positions and to make sure that those we voted for next will put the interest of citizens first in everything they do”.