An All Progressives Congress (APC) senator representing Edo North, Domingo Obende, has said President Goodluck Jonathan has committed some impeachment offences.
But he said the Senate shunned impeaching him because it wanted to avoid causing chaos in the polity.
Domingo was reacting to the gale of impeachment by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against governors of the main opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
His take was that the PDP had not been tolerant as the APC.
The senator noted that had the APC been on the rampage like the PDP, Jonathan would have been impeached long ago for the glaring impeachable offences he had committed.
Domingo warned that if the PDP does not soft-pedal on its intolerance and obsession for impeachment, the nation’s fledgling democracy would be in grave danger.
The Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) addressed reporters at his home in Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area.
He said: “What is happening is very surprising to some of us. There is danger around the corner. The danger is in the political arena. This is because a political system that ought to be stable, that thrives on impeachment threats does not augur well. What are we even talking about? Who is saying that the President has not committed an impeachable offence?
“The National Assembly ought to be looking at these. But for reasons bordering on the need for stability and because the leadership of the National Assembly is mature in handling issues, we look at Nigeria as an entity that must be salvaged. Of course, the whole of Africa is looking at us as the giant of the continent. Are we going to be a giant in rascality?
“To me, I see it as a clear parliamentary misbehaviour, where governors, who were given the mandate by their people, are not allowed to exercise their rights. And if they sure do, it is only the people who can call for their recall.
“I think if you asked me, there should be a total repeal of these sections of harassment of impeachment (from the constitution).”
While lamenting the flagrant abuse of existing laws before an impeachment can be said to carried out posited “Let it go through the court process first and if you win in the courts you can now come to the house and seek for an impeachment and of course they must query the chief judges who will just set up panel without having to know if the cases are right if such a person should be impeached.
“For me, what is happening in Edo state, they know what they are doing now is illegal because the courts have told them to go and obey the law of the house because they are internal laws that govern what they are doing.
“I have never heard or seen two chambers sitting on a state matter. Some are legislating and transmitting to Abuja or to EFCC or wherever.
“We have a body and that is the state assembly commission.”
