... Say presiding officers in both chambers president's 'yes men'
Some opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives have said they were not interested in the impeachment threats against President Muhammadu Buhari.
While some cited the timing as a major factor, others said the presiding officers of both chambers of the National Assembly, the Senate and the House of Representatives, were Buhari's henchmen who would strongly frustrate the plan to remove him.
It will be recalled that the minority caucus in the Senate, led by the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on July 26, 2022 staged a walkout from plenary as the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, frustrated their efforts to trigger impeachment moves against Buhari in protest against the high level insecurity in the country.
They, subsequently, handed down a 6-week ultimatum on the President to quell the situation or face impeachment.
In quick succession, the minority caucus in the House of Representatives also joined in the call, saying the process of impeachment would begin in the Green Chamber at the expiration of the ultimatum given by the Senate.
But reacting to the development, some of the opposition lawmakers told Vanguard, yesterday, that they were not interested, stressing that the timing was wrong because of the length of time it would take to actualise the impeachment.
The current administration has barely nine months to round off and quit office.
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One of the lawmakers said: "We called on members of NASS to commence impeachment of Mr. President two years ago and we also urged Nigerians to call on their Representatives to commence impeachment.
"We did so because we identified the incompetence of the present administration and its unresponsive posture to the yearnings of the people and its glaring inability to protect the lives of Nigerians which is a fundamental constitutional breach.
"Perhaps members were then either too busy or just laid back to appreciate what we were saying. It was branded a personal call. Both Nigerians and parliamentarians, including the press, played it down.
"The present call for impeachment only vindicates us and very sincerely is coming late in the day and not much benefit will come to the masses.
"I respect the parliament for even rising at all but I will not be surprised to hear that the call has been dropped.
"I pray that Nigerian lives matter to all of us in various public offices. This insecurity is like rainfall, it doesn't discriminate on grounds of political leaning, tribe or religion. It falls on all roofs.
Another lawmaker who craved anonymity, said: "I am not aware. I was never in support of the impeachment, considering the time it will require to see the process through, more so that the presiding officers in both chambers are the president's "yes men."
