Lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly are determined to procure the impeachment of Governor Tanko Al-Makura, even if it offends fair play, rule of law and constitutional provisions. They do not see the impeachment drive they are championing as a constitutional issue; they see it as a political matter, and do not appear to care what the end of it would be. Dissatisfied with playing the Scarlet Pimpernel in the past few weeks over their subterranean moves to impeach Governor Al-Makura, and still breathing imprecates against the governor and thirsting for more blood, they have resolved to oppose the seven-man investigative panel constituted by the state Chief Judge, Suleiman Dikko, to look into the impeachment allegations against the governor. They argue that the panel is made up of the governor’s loyalists. In other words, they do not trust the judgement and impartiality of the panel, but would prefer a panel certain to hang the governor.
Last month, Adamawa State lawmakers had inspired a similar treason plot against the implacable Murtala Nyako, perhaps the only governor in the North to look President Goodluck Jonathan in the face and call him unflattering names. Having also offended the political juggernauts of the state, virtually all of whom loathe the finer principles of democracy – or perhaps can’t understand the concept – the former naval officer was already isolated and ready to be offered when the knives came out for him. The Adamawa legislature, however, did not simply plot an impeachment to right the wrongs attributed to the deposed governor, they engaged in the most atrocious machination ever conducted in any House of Assembly in Nigeria.
Not only could they not agree on whom to impeach between the former governor and his deputy, Bala Ngilari, they were consumed by their common disregard for procedure and constitutionality. Former Deputy Governor Ngilari, they realised, did no wrong, at least nothing properly describable as impeachable offences. But they needed to get rid of him in order to bring about the crooked outcome they had designed. Eventually they tricked him into resigning on the excuse that it would be easier to enthrone him after their common foe, Admiral Nyako, was humiliated. But, as it turned out, the goal of the legislators was to enthrone the highly ambitious Umaru Fintiri, former Speaker of the House of Assembly. In essence, what took place in Adamawa last month was not an impeachment but a legislative coup.
Nasarawa’s legislative coup is a little different. While it is not yet clear what their final objective is, that is apart from unhorsing the governor to seize the state from the electorate through the backdoor, the state’s 20 PDP lawmakers are, however, bent on deposing Governor Al-Makura by the most brazen legislative abracadabra ever. Since the constitution does not allow them the leeway they seek, they have sought to abridge, circumvent and humiliate it. This is why they want a panel that would do their private and unconstitutional bidding. This is why they are asking Justice Suleiman to disband the panel he had constituted and replace it with one amenable to their whims. It is not certain just what mettle Justice Suleiman is made of, whether he has the character to resist the legislative insurrection going on in Nasarawa, or whether he would succumb as supinely as the Acting Chief Judge of Adamawa did under the pressure of Dr Jonathan’s increasingly partisan Nigerian Army.
What is clear, however, is that so far while the Nasarawa legislature has behaved lawlessly and irresponsibly, the state Chief Judge has confined himself to the ambit of the law. Tomorrow may bring new realities. But there is no reality that can erase the conviction that Nigeria has come under gunboat democracy, one in which the constitution is disregarded, and the president, his aides and party strategists are embroiled in the most pernicious subversion of both the constitution and democracy. We are blithely sowing the wind today; it is certain we will reap the whirlwind before long, for nature itself abhors the capricious and despicable politics being played by the president and his men.
