Politics

Nigeria: Lawmakers walk out of plenary, threaten to impeach President Buhari over insecurity

Published

2 years ago

July 27, 2022

Following the continuous state of insecurity in Nigeria, Senators from opposition parties have given President Buhari issued a six-week ultimatum to tackle the security challenges bedevilling the country.

Senator Phillip Aduda, who is the Minority Leader of the Senate, made the position of the lawmakers known on Wednesday while briefing reporters at the National Assembly in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Despite being one of the major campaign promises of president Muhammadu Buhari, Terrorist activities have taken an upward trend in Nigeria since the deadly Boko Haram sect based in North-Eastern Nigeria, which is also active in Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon was founded in 2002.

The lawmakers staged a walkout after a call to impeach President Buhari by Senator Aduda was overruled by the Senate president, Ahmed Lawan during Wednesday’s plenary.

They also threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Buhari should he fail to address the insecurity within the period given by the lawmakers.

According to Statista, “between 2011 and 2021, Boko Haram was responsible for thousands of deaths in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Nigeria is the country most affected by the terrorist group’s attacks.

Impeachment process in Nigeria is quite long with a first step been a notice of any allegation “gross misconduct” which must be signed by at least two-third of the legislative house, after which it must be served to the president within seven days. The president has up to fourteen days to respond to the notice before the process can continue.

Nigeria since political independence has never had a political executive at the federal level impeached. The closest it has come was under former president Olusegun Obasanjo, who famously escaped impeachment process. Is the evident state of insecurity in Nigeria under President Buhari enough ground for his impeachment, particularly since the Nigerian constitution says “the security and welfare of the Nigerian shall be the primary purpose of government”?

Related Topics:Featured Nigeria President Buhari

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

4 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.