You’re part of Nigeria’s woes; can’t impeach Buhari — Sha’aban tells Senators, Reps

Members of the National Assembly cannot impeach President Muhammadu Buhari because they are partly responsible for the country’s economic and security woes.

This was the position of former member of the House of Representatives and 2023 governorship aspirant in Kaduna State on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mohammed Sani Sha’aban.

Speaking in an interview, Sha’aban who represented Zaria Federal Constituency in the National Assembly between 2003 and 2007, alleged that the lawmakers have failed in their oversight functions.

“They’ve failed especially as regards security and economy. They are only interested in oversight functions when they are broke, so that they can get allowances and ‘Ghana must go’ attached,” he said.

“The recent threat by the National Assembly members to impeach the President is laughable and a huge joke.

“Some National Assembly members who have failed in their representative duties and lack what they will tell to their constituents in seeking re-election, are behind the impeachment saga, as they want to use President Buhari as scapegoat.

“I look at the stand the National Assembly members took as a huge joke. In fact, it is laughable.

“One thing we should know is that Nigeria is not operating in isolation; the rest of the world is watching us.

“We are in a democracy, even though we borrowed the system from the western world, the other part of the world don’t practice democracy the way we are practicing ours.

“We should realize that in the House of Representatives, in the Senate, they function under various committees and those committees are in charge of what we call oversight functions.

“But what is happening today? Where are the oversight functions? What happened to reports of activities within the security apparatus?

“So, if anybody will wake up today, coming from the Senate or House of Representatives and point accusing finger on President Buhari on security, I challenge that person to go and impeach Buhari tomorrow if he dares.

“As you point your finger, millions of people from your constituency will point finger at you.

“You say you are representing them, is it when it pinches most that you will find a scapegoat? And you want to make Buhari a scape goat?

“Was there any time when there was financial request and he did not passed it? The heads of agencies and parastatals, the service chiefs and others in charge of security… was there any time they were punished by the National Assembly?

“So, why President Buhari? Who is deceiving who? So, let us treat this matter very seriously.

“I don’t have any other country to call my own than this Nigeria. Where can we go? What is the population?

“Kaduna State alone is about nine to 10 million. If you move the population to Niger Republic, there will be no food for three days.

“So, tell me where to go to. And it is happening gradually and we are all singing about it and we are thinking it is something we can sweep under the carpet.

“If there is any critical time we can wake up and face these challenges under the fear of God and do it the way and manner it should be done as enshrined in our constitution, there is no better time than now,” he said.