APC senator joins call for Buhari’s impeachment

A serving senator of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Elisha Abbo, has joined members of the opposition parties calling for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari, over his inability to secure the country.

The two chambers of the National Assembly, Senate and Federal House of Representatives, in the last two days gave Buhari six weeks within which to arrest the security challenges in the country or be impeached.

Nigeria has been at war with Islamic jihadist Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups in the North East; banditry, kidnappings and cattle rustling in the North West. There is also the so-called farmers-herders conflict in the North Central and some parts of the South West, which has resulted in the deaths of many Nigerians in those regions. Then, of course, the South East and South-South, the secessionist movement, kidnappings for ransom and militancy for resource control, respectively.

Senator Abbo, who represents Adamawa North senatorial district in the Senate on Friday in an interview with Channels Television, on the sideline of the APC Northern Christian Leaders summit held in Abuja, the federal capital.

The lawmaker said he supported the impeachment move against the President because the Nigerian leader had failed in his fundamental responsibility to secure the lives and property of the people.

READ: Those calling for Buhari’s resignation, impeachment are anarchists – Presidency

On Wednesday, senators from opposition parties staged a walkout from the plenary, following a call to impeach the President.

The Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Philip Aduda, had raised a point of order asking the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to discuss the country’s security situation and President Buhari’s impeachment.

Lawan, however, declined the request, saying the point of order raised fell flat on its face.

Angered by the action of the Senate President, all the lawmakers elected on the platforms of all political parties other than the All Progressives Congress (APC), walked out of the legislative chamber.

They later handed a six-week ultimatum to President Buhari to tackle the security challenges bedevilling the country, saying they would commence impeachment proceedings against him should he fail to address the issue within the period.

While the Presidency said the lawmakers’ action was a mere threat with no effect, the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives also issued a six-week ultimatum to the President to fix the nation’s security challenges or be impeached.