CSOs back senate’s six-week ultimatum to Buhari over worsening insecurity

Some 80 civil society organisations (CSOs) in the country have thrown their weight behind last Wednesday’s ultimatum issued by lawmakers of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly to President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the worsening insecurity in the county or face impeachment.

The CSOs, rising from a meeting convened to deliberate on the security situation in the country, agreed with the senators on the six-week ultimatum to President Buhari to address the matter.

It would be recalled that senators from across many party lines, had Wednesday, staged a walkout during plenary over worsening insecurity in the country.

Addressing journalists at the Senate Press Corps (SPC) Centre, immediately after the walkout, spokesperson for the senators, the Minority Leader, Senator Philip Aduda (PDP-FCT), said they have resolved to give President Buhari a six-week ultimatum within which to end the insecurity in the country or face impeachment.

The senators who reportedly walk out on plenary were heard chanting ‘Buhari must go’, as they trooped out of the senate chambers.

“It is obvious that Abuja, the seat of the Federal government is no longer safe, as you all can see.

“We went into a closed-door session on the state of insecurity in Abuja and took cognisance that Nigeria is no longer safe.

“Senate has recommended various measures and discovered that even Abuja is no longer safe.

“We agreed in the closed session that we will give President Muhammadu Buhari an ultimatum, but the Senate President Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan didn’t want us to raise the issue.

“However, we have issued six weeks for President Buhari to resolve insecurity or be impeached.

“We walked out of Chambers in protest.”

According to Senator Aduda, the various recommendations by the lawmakers have been made but security challenges have not abated, which he added, now compels them commence impeachment proceedings against President Buhari now.

Aduda who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said the ultimatum to Buhari was for him to resolve the heightened insecurity in the country or face impeachment.

It was learnt that at the commencement of the plenary last Tuesday, the lawmakers had questioned the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on why the issue of insecurity was not in the Order Paper.

The aggrieved senators further expressed anger that Lawan refused to abide by their resolution after reverting to plenary after the closed-door session.

They insisted they had during their closed-door session which lasted for two hours agreed that they should debate the issue of insecurity and give Buhari an impeachable ultimatum notice.

Co-incidentally, after thwarting the senators move to initiate impeachment proceedings against Buhari, the senate president, Lawan ruled for a seven-week recess by the Upper Chambers.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Tuesday, the CSOs under the aegis of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (NCSSR), decried the worsening insecurity in the country, as they also advised Buhari to act fast or resign, insisting ‘he had failed the country.’

According to the group, CSOs called on the National Assembly to intensify their oversight function on the Executive and exude that they are representatives of the people by protecting and representing their interests.

“A few months ago, Situation Room, on May 12 2022, raised the alarm on the rising level of insecurity in the country, the level of transparency and accountability in the electoral process, among other concerns. It is rather disheartening that two months later, the State of the Nation has further depreciated thereby raising questions about the leadership of the country.

“We also ask the Senate to carry out a thorough background check and scrutiny of the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari, to allay any political party affiliation or alignment by any of the nominees.

“Situation Room also raises more concerns on insecurity, attack on Kuje correctional center, economy, strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities and 2023 elections,” read excerpts of a text read at the press conference by its Convener, Ene Obi, and co-convener, James Ugochukwu.

The group, therefore, called on Buhari to wake up to his responsibilities of steering the nation’s affairs in the areas of security and economic restoration, which will rebuild the citizens’ confidence by reassuring Nigerians of his ability to govern Nigeria or should honourably resign if the challenges are overwhelming.

This is also as the CSOs urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the voter registration process for another two months to accommodate more prospective voters as there is still a window for extension in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2022.

The Situation Room further called on Nigerians to put their State Governors to task and demand accountability for their actions or inactions regarding the State of the Nation.