Reps move to simplify impeachment of president, vice president

[PeoplesDaily]

By Umar Muhammad Puma

The House of Representatives yesterday passed for a second reading, a bill that will make the impeachment process of the President and Vice-President of the Federal Republic easier.

The bill titled "an Act to Alter the Provisions of Section 143 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , 1999 to Remove Ambiguities in the Process of Removal of the President from Office on Allegations of Gross Misconduct and to Provide for a more Transparent and Democratic Procedure for Impeachment and other Matters Connected," was passed for second reading amidst intense debate.

Leading the debate, the lead sponsor, Yakubu Dogara (PDP Bauchi state) said: "the essence of the bill is meant to hold the executive accountable so that checks can be created, and it is not meant to target this term but rather make the process less ambigous on grounds of misconduct. Let's all look at this and do it in the interest of Nigerians."

House Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN Lagos state) argued that the bill, if passed into law, may be subject to other ambiguities. Since gross misconduct can be subject and redefined in any case. In his submission, he further urged the house to be mature with the passage of the bill as it may send wrong signals to the public.

"The timing of the bill is wrong and people will read meanings into to it, we must be mature about. The United States House of Representatives were caught up in something similar when the impeachment of President Clinton was going as regards to his affairs with an intern."

The bill in question seeks to copy the American model of impeaching a president by making the process less complex. In essence, the lawmakers seek to initiate the process and investigate it rather than the process lying solely with the Chief Justice of the Federation.

Most of the lawmakers shared similar opinions to that of the Minority Leader, but when it was put to voice vote, the bill unanimously sailed through.

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