PDP: Buhari’s Summon by N’Assembly in Order, Reflects the Mood of Nigerians

• President operating like a captured leader, says Fayose

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hailed the move by the National Assembly to investigate President Muhammadu Buhari for alleged constitutional violations.

This is just as the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, expressed regret that the president is now operating like a captured leader whose basic job is to offer condolences to Nigerians slaughtered by herdsmen instead of taking firm action to stop the atrocities.

The PDP also expressed support over the summon extended to Buhari to appear before a joint sitting over the daily bloodletting in our country, saying it is completely in consonant with the mood of the nation and the expectations of Nigerians.

In a statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the vote of no confidence passed on the service chiefs by federal lawmakers is “a direct indictment of President Buhari, as a failed commander-in-chief of our armed forces, who must be held responsible for the security failures of our nation in the last three years.”

“President Buhari has roundly failed in his oath of office and allegiance; he has roundly failed to dress his parade as a commander-in-chief in the last three years and must not be allowed to hide behind the service chiefs for his failures.”

The said Nigerians are very eager to listen to President Buhari and watch him respond to them through their National Assembly members.
“We therefore habour no reservations in urging the federal lawmakers, as representatives of the people, not to succumb to any form of executive intimidation, blackmail and pressure to surrender their constitutional powers and duties,” it said.

According to the PDP, Section 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) fully empowers the National Assembly, as the collective voice and conscience of the people, to summon any person, including the president, to give evidence on any matter of state and to apply appropriate sanctions for noncompliance.

“Since the matter of failed security is of paramount importance to all, we firmly demand that President Buhari take questions and address our nation in an open session of the National Assembly.

“Nigerians are eager to know why the Buhari administration is completely insensitive to their plight and why it has refused to take decisive steps to end the ceaseless killing and daily pillaging of citizens by insurgents and marauders.

“They are also eager to know why President Buhari, particularly, failed to act on intelligence reports and danger signs from flash points, particularly in Benue, Taraba, Yobe, Adamawa, Plateau, Zamfara, Kogi, among others; a development that paved the way for the massacre of helpless citizens in these states.

“Furthermore, Nigerians are anxious to know why it took President Buhari months before he visited the troubled states; allowed his handlers to turn supposed condolence visits into political rallies to further his ill-fated 2019 re-election bid.
“We commend the courage exhibited by our lawmakers in initiating the constitutional process on the violations of our constitution particularly in the controversial Tucano fighter jets purchase deal and in summoning Mr. President to shed light on his efforts at curbing the endless mindless killings across our nation.

“Finally, we charge our legislators to note that Nigerians are looking up to them to rescue our nation at this critical time. They must therefore brace up to the imperatives of patriotism and set in motion necessary machinery that will ensure security and cohesion in our country,” PDP said.

Meanwhile, Fayose while reacting to the latest killings by Fulani herdsmen in Benue State, wondered why a retired army general and one-time military Head of State could be incapacitated to rout killers in the country.

He said the main reason why Buhari was voted, was on the premise that he would provide security to the citizens, expressing worries on why the president has suddenly become lame duck.

“This is a killer government,” the governor said, adding that it was shameful that Nigerians are dying daily with Buhari clueless and incompetent to handle the crisis.

“It is beyond dispute that the Buhari administration has lost the battle against insurgency and the Fulani herdsmen. Buhari is helpless as he is reduced to offering condolences on a daily basis.

“Nigerians are dying on a daily basis. Innocent souls are being wasted by herdsmen and the Buhari administration has lost all moral right to continue in office. Why is he still sitting in office? Doing what, if I may ask,” he added.

Fayose, in the statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, wondered that this was a government that lambasted the PDP administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for cluelessness and incompetence on security matters “but the same Jonathan administration era is now looking like the golden age of security of lives and property in Nigeria.

“At no period since 1999 has life been this cheap. Life has become nasty, brutish, and short under the Buhari administration,” he said.
Fayose also expressed misgivings about recent spate of controversial judgments by courts which he said gave the impression of collusion between unscrupulous judges and the Buhari administration to truncate democracy and lead the country into anarchy.
“The situation is getting so bad that we do not know whether the constitution of the country has been unofficially suspended.”