The impeachment threats against President Muhammadu Buhari in July by senators mostly of the opposition parties before they proceeded on recess may have been overtaken by a new twist as they are now expressing support for the president when Senate resumed plenary from 7 – week recess.
Senators across the opposition political parties and some of their colleagues in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had in the heat of worsening security situation threatened the President with impeachment proceedings with six weeks within which he must address the situation or get the notice.
But at resumption of plenary on Tuesday, they chickened out as none of the Senators raised the issue giving credence to the believe that their threats were empty after all.
Indication that the move had been jettisoned, reflected in the welcome speech read by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan to senators after two hours of closed door session
Lawan in the speech said :”Distinguished Colleagues, just before we embarked on our recess the Senate showed serious concerns on the Security situation in the country. We had intimate discussions on the security challenges across the country.
“Consequently, the Leadership of the senate had two engagements with the Office of the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defense Staff, Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Director General of Department of State Services, Director General of Nigerian Intelligence Agency and other heads of other security agencies precisely on the 5th of August and 12th September, 2022 to ensure that our defense and Security Agencies improve on their operational strategies to secure citizens and indeed our country.
“From the assessment of the prevailing situation our security agencies are recording more successes and the situation seems to be improving.
“Nonetheless, the Senate will continue to engage with the defense and security agencies through its appropriate Committees, to ensure that the engagements are sustained”.
Earlier before commencement of plenary, the Chief Whip of the Senate , Senator Orji Uzor Kalu ( APC Abia North), told journalists that the move had fizzled out .
Kalu who stated this while fielding questions from journalists, said even if such a move is made now, it will be knocked off as majority of the Senators are now behind the President .
“The issue of impeachment is a non existing one . Nobody is talking about it again .; Even if they try, they will fail because we have the number to resist it.
“There is nothing wrong with a lawmaker coming up with an impeachment threat but will they succeed, no. So, as far as I am concerned, there is no discussion about Buhari’s impeachment because security has improved.
“We have been meeting with the service chiefs and some of you were there and can testify that the issue of security has improved and it will keep improving” , he said .