THUR, APRIL 26 2018-theG&BJournal-Many Nigerian’s theG&Bjournal spoke to on the brazen challenge against President Muhammadu Buhari’s serial constitutional breaches including the unconstitutional withdrawal made in the guise of purchasing Tucano fighter jets for the $4986 million, describes Senator Mathew Urhoghide as ‘BRAVE’
”That is what we expect from the people we send to represent us in the National Assembly,” one elated young Nigerian university lecturer said.
”He has serially breached the laws and the constitution of the Federal Republic and Urhoghide’s action underscores the inbuilt checks and balances that has been missing in our polity for a long time,” a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart told theG&Bjournal.
Senator Mathew Urhoghide, representing Edo South senatorial district and also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation moved the motion today in the Senate chambers, apparently pained by the manner the President sent a letter for approval for the money that was not and was never appropriated by the National Assembly.
Urhoghide moved the motion for the invocation of Section 143 of the 1999 Constitution, which deals with impeachment of the President for voiding due process and while citing Orders 15, 42 & 52, said the matter should be forwarded to the appropriate committee.
Senate immediately referred the motion to its Judiciary Committee for legal action.
He told members of the Senate while arguing the case for impeachment proceeding, that The President’s request is wrong and a violation of the country’s accountability process, proceedings and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“It’s a violation of Section 80 subsection 1, 2, 3, 4. The procedure of the expenditure is wrong. There ought to be an appropriation before such an expenditure. I hereby request that the SP, Bukola Saraki should invoke Section 18 of the Constitution,” the Senator said.
Senator Chukwuka Utazi, representing Enugu North constituenc, weighed in with an equally strong rejection saying; “This Tucano helicopters are to be brought in 2020, why include it now in appropriation. This is an impeachable offense,”
Senator Shehu Sani added; “We are not ignorant of the security challenges that is going on in the country and how it affects the stability of our country. I appreciate the efforts of the FG to bring an end to the killings in Nigeria but this is no reason to breach the Constitution. This is a gross violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is very clear to us that we are failing as a government and as a nation. We should be calling for refund and exercise due process.
”I do not see the outcome of the impeachment proceedings leading to the ouster of the President in the long run but, this motion sends a very strong message to the presidency that there are limits to presidential impunity,” our source said.
