The governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will resist any unlawful move to impeach the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Following the Senate President’s defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP, some lawmakers and APC chieftains have requested him to step down.
On Wednesday, Adams Oshiomhole, APC national chairman, stated it’s “a matter of honour” for Saraki to “leave the crown (Senate presidency) in the house that the crown belongs to.”
The PDP caucus in the house of representatives subsequently raised an alarm that some senators have been plotting to remove Saraki through the backdoor.
However speaking at the PDP National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday, Tambuwal, who only recently left the APC as well, stated any attempt to impeach Saraki unconstitutionally will hurt Nigeria’s democracy.
“When I hear that some persons are making an attempt to break into the chambers of the senate to steal the mace and install a pseudo president of the senate, I wonder if they really know the rules of our democratic engagement. It’s not a Gestapo, we’re in democracy,” he stated.
“If the senators have faith in Bukola Saraki, they need to continue to maintain him as president of the senate. And so be it with Mr. Speaker, Dogara.
“So, no person ought to be afraid. There’s a process. And we should respect due process and rule of law. And Nigeria shouldn’t be a banana republic. We won’t take it from anyone. Let them hear it very clear. Should you try it, we’ll match out our forces in this nation and jam you.
“Because we’re talking about democracy. We can’t afford to permit anyone, irrespective of how extremely positioned, to toy with the future of about 200 million people in this nation.”
He additionally stated if Saraki decided change his political party, there is nothing anyone can do about it.
“The structure of this nation is very clear that members of the senate and the house of representatives can select from amongst themselves their own president of the senate or speaker with out leaning to any political party,” Tambuwal stated.
“Solely about three days ago, I did say that Nigerians is not going to settle for prison-yard democracy. And we can’t afford to permit our nation to drift further. It isn’t about any curiosity, it’s about this nation. This nation is on a cliff. We should retrieve it.”
