NASS Resolution Is A Vote Of Confidence For President Buhari – Maiwada Dammallam

If anything, the resolution by the hurried joint-session of the NASS to invoke their powers and impeach (read, BLACKMAIL) President Buhari, only exposed the agenda of the members to pursue personal ambition at the expense of service to the nation. Their demands, 10 in all, read like an an average document obtainable in Nigeria’s “wailing community”.  Fully aware of the joint role of the President and the NASS in regard to service delivery, I expect better than mere playing to the gallery by the NASS and its leadership. For this purpose, I intend to take and analyze each of their demands in my modest effort to expose the mischief wrapped in the threat.

1.) Security agencies must be given a marching order to curtail the killings across the country and protect lives of innocent Nigerians.

It’s very funny that only after investigations linked SP Saraki with the killer gang that robbed some banks and killed about 30 innocent citizens in Offa, Kwara State does the the NASS remembered they have a responsibility (or is it “power”) to impeach the President. All the villages ransacked and hundreds of lives killed in Zamfara, Kaduna and Taraba were not enough to provoke the NASS into action. Was it because the NASS is aware something relative to situation and resources is really being done by President Buhari to contain the sad situation?

By the way, is the NASS pretending not to know the true situation when both chambers have standing committees supervising the security agencies? I thought the budgets of these agencies were passed by the NASS only after exhaustive sessions where each item is debated to ensure maximum returns. And I thought both chambers have standing committees that regularly meet with the agencies to exchange notes and ensure everything is working as it should. Did the committees (each with a member being paid N13.5m running cost) kept the NASS in the dark about the situation that the two chambers withheld their so called “marching order” until now?The truth is, the NASS is very aware the government is doing the best it could under the prevailing circumstances just as they know the complexities of fighting unconventional wars.

2.) The harassment and humiliation by the Executive or perceived political opponent by the police must be put to an end.

Who and who were harassed? The NASS need to publish the names of people harassed for the public to judge this claim. So far, I’m not aware of a single Nigerian arrested for no justifiable reason. Each arrest is followed by detailed account of the offences committed by the culprit. Unless NASS is suggesting President Buhari should discontinue the war against corruption and allow public office holders to have a field day, I see this as nothing but mere effort to take their war against EFCC to the next level.

3.) The executive must ensure a strict adherence to the rule of law.

The NASS should explain this ambiguity and say in clear language what the administration is doing that’s not in tandem with strict adherence to rule of law.

4.) The President must be held accountable for the actions of his appointees.

Does anybody need to remind the President that he’s accountable for the actions of his appointees. Was that not the realisation that informed his decision to sack his former SGF and have allegations of corruption against him investigated? Somebody simply want to add number to the “offences” of the President by this.

5.) The government should show sincerity in the fight against corruption.

The NASS must show the insincerity first. That some some members of the opposition are being investigated for corruption doesn’t in any way prove insincerity. Logically, the previous administration was led by the opposition and it’s more than likely that any infraction linked to the administration was committed by its members. For instance, was it likely that any member of the APC collected part of money sourced and shared illegally by Diezeni in 2015? No! Was it likely that the beneficiaries were senior members of the opposition? YES! So, what’s insincere about a new government’s resolve to retrieve the looted funds and set a needed example with the perpetrators? If the NASS have any case of “insincerity” that could stand public scrutiny, it should lay it bare and shame the President rather than attempt to play table-tennis with our brains. By the way, many of them were in the NASS when $2.3bn was voted for security and looted. What stopped them threatening Jonathan with impeachment?

6.) Sanctity of the National Assembly must be protected and the investigation of those who invaded the National Assembly to hijack the mace must be pursued to its logical conclusion.

So, who’s stopping the NASS from pursuing the theft of the mace to logical conclusion? I thought they have a security arrangement answerable to them. Is it he responsibility of the President to babysit the NASS? Sure, if the President is responsible for the physical and moral sanctity of the NASS people like Dino Melaye would not be desecrating this sanctity with threats of slapping and impregnating female colleagues in the upper chamber like he did Senator Tinubu – something that passed the leadership unnoticed, at least, going by the speed members perceived to be out of favour with the SP are usually suspended without recourse to the law. In any case, for the Senate to express sincere concern about the sanctity of its chamber, we expect them to step-down SP Bukola Saraki and DSP Ekweremedu pending the conclusion of the various litigations against them if for nothing, to protect the sanctity of the chambers that they seemed so concerned about.

7.) National Assembly will liase with the ECOWAS parliament, EU, UN, Civil Society Organization to save the country’s democracy.

Nigerians are not aware of any threat against its democracy beside the threat being posed by individual ambitions of mostly people trying to edge out President Buhari and  replace him. In this regard, the NASS members, being representatives of the people should collate and publish these ‘threats’ for Nigerians to see and join them in the fight to protect the democracy. Anything short of this is nothing but mere effort to conscript gullible Nigerians to fight their personal wars.

8.) The growing state of unemployment must be curtailed.

This is a concern expressed only to give the resolution some semblance of patriotism. However, the body language of the NASS in this regard are as conflicting as the manifestos of APC and PDP. Where was the NASS when it refused to pass the budget which would stimulate the economy and create employment? How many jobs would the government create if the NASS members are patriotic enough to reject the kingly packages they are enjoying for working less hours than an average Nigerian? This is balderdash!

9.) A vote of no confidence must be passed on the IGP.

Why? For performing his statutory duties or what? The NASS could do better by telling Nigerians that the NPF have no reasonable ground to arrest its members who are suspected offenders. Did the IGP break any law by pursuing leads that ends on the doorsteps of the Senate President or any member?

10.) A vote of confidence must be passed on the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara.

For doing what? For passing the budget early enough for the President to pursue his CHANGE agenda or for “encouraging” the President to pursue his agenda by engaging critical members of his cabinet and appointees in needless clashes that have no relevance to the wellbeing of Nigerians?

THIS HAS GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH NIGERIANS AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH 2019!