Senator Gershom Bassey
Insecurity: ‘Senate serious about impeaching Buhari – Senator Bassey
[From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar]
Senator representing Cross River South in the National Assembly Gershom Bassey has stated that the Senate remains serious about impeaching President Muhamadu Buhari.
He said the action of the Senate is aimed at making the presidency do something about the worsening security situation in the country.
“Yes. That one is real. We are serious about that, but we will only get there if part one which is the actions against the situation in our country does not improved.
“For instance, why are there people in captivity from the Kaduna incident? Why has nobody been arrested or nobody been held accountable for what happened in Kuje prison?
“These are actions that can immediately be taken by Mr President to show that he’s in tandem with us; the number of actions that need to be taken to show that yes we are doing something about the situation and we are going to resolve this situation. That’s what we are talking about,” Senator Bassey said.
He explained that the point of their action is to ensure safety and security in our country.
He, however, added that point of the senate’s action is not impeachment, but to ensure safety and security in Nigeria.
Speaking further, he said “we have given 6-week threshold within which we want the executive, particularly Mr President, to do something about security in our country.
“Our best hope is that the president will respond to what we are saying; to what we are doing. And at the end of 6 weeks everything would have been sorted out”, he said.
It would be recalled that senators from across many party lines, 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.
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.
Speaking on his governorship ambition which fell through, Senator Bassey dispelled rumours of a possible defection.
He said as a party man, “there’s no other move. Once the party takes a decision we abide by it”, he said.
