Benue Impeachment: Throwback To Dictatorship, Says Saraki, Dogara

Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have described the on-going situation in the Benue State House of Assembly as “a desecration of the legislative sanctity.”

In a statement signed jointly by their respective media aides, Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan, both leaders called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and stop them from being used to achieve political purposes.

Drama had played out in the Benue State House of Assembly on Monday when seven members out of 30-members ‘sat’ and suspended other lawmakers that were prevented by the police from accessing the Chambers.

The session was presided over by Terkimbi Ikyange, who was last week, July 24, impeached by 21 members of the House.

Men of the Nigerian Police were said to be on ground to ensure the 22 other lawmakers loyal to the governor were prevented from gaining access to the Assembly premises.

The development comes few days after Governor Ortom defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.

The anti-Ortom lawmakers were listed as Adanyi Benjamin, Terhemba Chabo, Benjamin Nungwa, Bem Mngutyo, Adams Okloho, James Okefe and Nick Eworo.

But in the statement today, Saraki and Dogara described the development in the state as a return to the “inglorious era” of dictatorship.

“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 reads.

“We also note with surpirse the role of the Police in this undemocratic event 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.

“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. 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.”