PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012
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Impeachment: Between morality and nationalism ANALYSIS Tobias Lengnan Dapam
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embers of the House of Representatives might be cooling-off in their various constituencies, making consultations with their people on the next agenda and some pressing issues that need urgent legislative attention. Nevertheless, they must stay glued to their television sets and newspapers to study and analyze the responses of the public and interest groups regarding their firm stand on impeachment threats against President Goodluck Jonathan in respect to the poor implementation of the 2012 budget. Despite their tough stance on corruption, the lawmakers like the spider, are always caught in their own web of the same crime they try to fight. Paramount amongst this, and which usually makes most of them bury their heads and weigh their options, is the bribery scandal involving one of its vibrant member, Farouk Lawan, the Chairman of the subsidy probe with oil mogul Femi Otedola. What actually made most of them wag, like dog with its tail in-between its legs, was that the Farouk scandal came to fore shortly after former President Olusegun Obasanjo called them thieves, forcing many of them to challenge and threatened to summoned him, but the exposition dimmed their enthusiasm. Notwithstanding, as they tried to salvage some credibility, before embarking on recess, they unanimously threatened to impeach the president should he fail to implement the 2012 budget. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila representing Surulere Federal Constituency from Lagos state, while contributing to the debate on budget implementation, suggested that if the economy is not properly greased by September then the House may not have any option than to start impeachment process against the President. Gbajabiamila in his argument stated that “the President had come to the floor of the House with a budget which he called transformation budget but it is a budget of abra cadabra and voodoo.” As the whole House received his declaration with loud ovation, Gbajabiamila continued: “The president is not doing anybody any favour as
President Goodluck Jonathan constituency projects are done all over the world. “I have met the President, he is a fine man, I like him but I like my country more, because when the budget is not implemented, our constituents suffer and it leads to lack of infrastructure; so come September, if the budget is not 100 per cent implemented, we will start to throw articles of impeachment at the President” But before he could continue, Hon Nado Terembe representing Bayelsa, raised a point of Order that Order 9 Rule 61 is being violated. He said “Gbajabiamila’s contribution is not in alignment with the first motion or bill on the floor so impeaching the president is not relevant in this issue”. Terembe was shouted down but the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal who presided, quickly intervened and sustained his point of order. Members again gave Gbajabiamila a standing ovation. The Speaker, however, asked Gbajabiamila to continue. The Minority Leader intervened saying: “Let me point out a superior Order which is Section 143 of the constitution. For avoidance of doubts the President may be removed in accordance with the law whenever he is found guilty in the performance of his duties.” That seemed to be the last word of the members, which was like throwing the balloons in the air to look for direction pending when they will return from recess. Expectedly, the Senate took over the gauntlet temporarily, calling on the coordinating minister of the economy, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, to explain her
Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal version of the debate. She appeared, and after her explanations, the Senate seemed conformable, if not verbally, then by demeanor. The constituted authorities also left the issue to the court of public opinion, with several commentators dismissing the decision of the Lower House while others traded blame with the presidency. The son of the late rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi, Mohammed Fawehinmi, has praised the House of Representatives for threatening to impeach the President over poor budget implementation and urged the Senate to take similar step. Fawehinmi, in a statement, accused the President of being docile and allegedly engaging in violation of constitutional provisions by failing to address the various challenges plaguing the country. He also expressed disgust over a purported threat to the President by the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram. He contended that the development was occasioned by President Jonathan’s failure to act as his office required. Mohammed argued that the President has, by failing to provide sufficient security for the people, create a conducive environment for economic rejuvenation and provide adequate social infrastructure, violated the First Oath of Allegiance contained in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. However, Maverick politician, Senator Arthur Nzeribe,
slammed members of the National Assembly that they no longer command respect from Nigerians which will give them the moral courage to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan over poor implementation of the 2012 budget. Senator Nzeribe who said he doubts if the lawmakers understood what it takes to impeach the President, however described as an effort in futility the proposed impeachment threat, adding that with the high level of corruption in the system, it will not be possible for any seriousminded legislature to successfully carry out an impeachment process, “wind don blow their yansh open,’’ he said. He said, ‘’I doubt if they understand what they are doing. Nobody respects the average lawmaker anymore in Nigeria. With the kind of corruption in the system, I do not think the impeachment threat is real. “I don’t think that the House has the right to summon the President, but there is nothing wrong with the President walking across the road and say ‘I have come to brief you’. You can’t continue to threaten to impeach the President all the time,’’ he said. On its part, a group, under the aegis of Niger Delta Youth Parliament, condemned the controversy surrounding the implementation of the 2012 national budget. National Coordinator of the NDYP, Mr. Imoh Okoko, said in Port Harcourt on Thursday that the threat of impeachment against the President could further heat up the polity. He said,
“The National Assembly and the executive should embrace dialogue and see how the budget can be fully implemented. This is not the time to engage in a controversy that could distract government from achieving its objectives,” Okoko added. He further suggested that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, should be sacked if she was the cause of the poor budget implementation. In as much as the commentators argued reasonably, regardless of their stand on the issue, what seems to be a distraction from reasonable and intellectual discuss was the comment of a half-baked law University dropped-out and former militant leader, Asari Dokubo, who threatened to declare war if the President is impeached. Little wonder where the stand point of the war will be and why certain disgruntled enemies of peace are licensed to speak contempt with impunity. “We are saying that nothing must happen to Jonathan because if anything happens to him, the world will know”, he said. Speaking on the Boko Haram insurgency, Mr Dokubo said “the arrogance of Boko Haram is unIslamic. The type of bomb they are using is small. If we begin to throw bombs, nobody will stay in Abuja. We don’t manufacture bomb but we will buy them and dynamites. I started armed struggle in the Niger Delta. It is because of Goodluck Jonathan that we kept quiet. But soon, we will not be able to guarantee our patience any more. If Ijaw people should retaliate, every household in the North will cry. “It is the North that needs peace more than us. Everybody must impress it on them that they should sheathe their swords and drop their arrogance”, he declared. Judging from the comments of the pro and anti-impeachment to the militant leader, the members must be having sleepless nights in trying to reconcile national interest and sectional interest. The events have revealed that even if Jonathan is found wanting, his kinsmen will interpret it as victimization. Many observers believed that the issues in the country are beyond comprehension and needs careful scrutiny before it escalates into what the nation would not be capable of handling. Therefore, the onus lies on the members of the Seventh Sssembly to take proper decision as it pleases the interpretation of the constitution, not minding whose ox is gored.