Senate President Bukola Saraki
and Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, say the situation
of the Benue state house of assembly, is throwback to the period of dictatorship
in the country.
On Monday, Terkimbir Ikyange,
ex-speaker who was recently removed from office, led six lawmakers to serve an
impeachment notice on Samuel Ortom, the governor.
The lawmakers were said to have
been helped by the police. They have since been suspended.
In a statement, Yusuph Olaniyonu
and Turaki Hassan, spokespersons of Saraki and Dogara, quoted their principals
as describing the act as an “illegality and does not conform to parliamentary
procedure on impeachment”.
They asked President Muhammadu
Buhari to call the police to order and prevent a break down of law and order.
“We have monitored closely the
development in Benue state in which the impeached speaker, Terkimbir Ikyange
led seven other members to serve impeachment notice on the state governor,
Samuel Ortom while the 22 other members who constitute more than two-third
majority have been prevented from having access to the chamber. We believe this
is illegality and does not conform to parliamentary procedure on impeachment,”
the statement read.
“We also note with surprise the
role of the police in this undemocratic events in which the minority is seeking
to impeach a governor against the position of the majority. We believe it is
the sacred institution of the legislature that is being desecrated and
rubbished in all these negative developments.
“The situation in Benue state
house of assembly has grave implication for the nation’s democracy and it
represents a throw-back to the period of dictatorship in our country. It also
represents how the Nigeria police are being misused to achieve political end.
In a statement recently, the presidency derisively referred to an era in the
past where a minority number of legislators was used to impeach governors who
were unfriendly with the federal government. What we are seeing in Benue now is
a return to that inglorious era.”
The federal lawmakers advised
against compounding the crisis in Benue which has recorded many killings
through clashes between farmers and herdsmen.
They also called for the
intervention of Nigerians, home and abroad.
“We believe this unlawful and
unconstitutional move to impeach governor Samuel Ortom by a minority should be
condemned by all lovers of democracy, at home and abroad. We call on President
Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and prevent a break-down of law
and order,” they said.
“We also call on friends of
Nigeria in the international community to lend their voice in condemning the
perpetration of illegalities and actions that can subvert our democracy.
“There is already a tense
atmosphere in Benue state following the recent killings. Nobody should
encourage any action or move which may exacerbate the security situation in the
north-central state. As leaders of the federal legislature, we are ready to
work with our colleagues in both chambers of the National Assembly to prevent
any attempt to destroy any state legislature or use it to derail democracy.”
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