The two chambers of the National Assembly had turbulent sessions yesterday for different reasons, Daily Trust reports.
At the Senate, there was commotion when a senator suggested the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari at a closed session.
Senators who attended the session which lasted for 1.15 minutes disclosed that the impeachment was suggested during a discussion on the Senate rules forgery suit.
Both the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others are standing trial over the forgery of Senate Rules.
It was gathered that the suggestion was made by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South) when the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters Senator David Umaru read the report of his Committee on the summoning of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami over the Senate Rules forgery suit.
Senator Umaru reportedly told his colleagues that the AGF refused to honour their invitation.
“A Senator suggested that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris be mandated to arrest him but some of our colleagues said the IGP will not carry out the order because the matter is being influenced by the Presidency”, a Senator reportedly told Daily Trust.
He added: “It was at this point that Abaribe stood up and said, ‘we should go for the jugular.’ When he was asked to explain what he meant by the ‘jugular’, he said meant the process of impeachment of Buhari should commence.”
Another senator who corroborated the suggestion enraged members of the ruling APC resulting in angry exchanges with their counterparts from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The sources said the rowdy session lasted for about 30 minutes and it took the intervention of former Senate President, David Mark to douse the tension.
Also at the session, Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West) reportedly threatened to assault Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos Central) who challenged his suggestion that senators who went to court over the forgery of Senate rules be suspended.
Melaye was quoted as saying: “Since they are not ready to withdraw the case, they should be suspended. They were around when resolution was passed that our rules book was not forged.”
When contacted on phone, Melaye denied calling Senator Tinubu names, saying, “I only cautioned her for mentioning my name in her presentation during the closed session because when I made my presentation I didn’t mention any body’s name.”
At the end of the session, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki discussed issues affecting the smooth running of the Upper Chamber.
Chairman Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator David Umaru reported that the Attorney General Federation, Abubakar Malami did not appear before his Committee.
In response, Saraki said: “But it appears from what you are saying is that the Attorney General is requesting for one more chance to be given to appear before you.
“So, you will report back to us before the end of the week to let us know the status of that situation. And if that does not happen, we will go ahead and go in line with the Constitution very clearly.”
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