Buhari is not going to be impeached – SENATE

Firstclass Newsline gathered that the Senate, yesterday, rebuffed
insinuations of a plot to initiate impeachment proceedings against
President Muhammadu Buhari, saying such suggestions were speculative.
The Senate's disavowal came as Senator Dino Melaye also denied the
claim but confirmed the altercation between himself and Senator Remi
Tinubu, which he claimed was sparked by her use of provocative words
against him.
SENATE CHAMBER
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, said it would
not speak on the alleged impeachment threats against President Buhari.
National chairman of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said the issue
remained entirely within the ambit of the legislature.
The Chief Chekwas Okorie-led United Peoples Party, UPP, was, however,
not restrained in its reaction, describing any impeachment plot as
satanic and subversive.
The Senate in a statement by its spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabi
Abdullahi, said the comments credited to the National Secretary of the
APC, Mai Bala Buni, could give credibility to a news item which
members of the public had disregarded.
He said: "We expected the party to, at least, explore all the options
open to it to verify that piece of fabrication which is only the
figment of the imagination of the writers and their sponsors.
"It should be clear to the APC leadership that if there is any truth
to that story, it should have been credited to a particular senator
who was at the executive session.
"It is evident from our proceedings of yesterday (Wednesday) that the
Senate itself was shocked that such a fabrication, which constitutes a
breach of the privileges of the senators, was published and that was
why we mandated our Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public
Petitions to investigate the source and circumstances leading to the
emergence of such a fabrication.
"We will like to assure the party that the Senate, as an institution,
values the present democracy in our country and will not do anything
that will undermine or weaken the system."
Okorie, Olujimi, Abaribe react
Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi, also, yesterday, took a
swipe at the APC on the alleged impeachment threat, saying the ruling
party itself was confused.
"I do not understand what they are saying," he said.
Also speaking toVanguard, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information
and National Orientation, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South),
who noted that there was nothing to discuss on impeachment as there
was nothing of such, said the APC was becoming "very apprehensive."
Chief Okorie, on his part, cautioned the Senate against wielding the
impeachment weapon.
Okorie, in a statement made available to newsmen in Enugu yesterday,
said: "The threats emanating from some persons in the National
Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against President
Muhammadu Buhari for unspecified impeachable offences at this point in
time are satanic, subversive and dangerous.
"It should be erased completely from the minds of those contemplating
such move. Any such act of vengeance will be most unpopular,
unpatriotic and condemnable. All hands must be on deck to salvage our
country from its present state of economic downturn, excruciating
poverty and security challenges.
"In the spirit of separation of powers, as clearly defined in the 1999
Constitution of Nigeria as amended, it behoves on the National
Assembly and its leadership to submit themselves to the judicial
process with regard to the on-going trial of some top officers of the
Senate on forgery accusation.