Falana highlights constitutional grounds for Buhari’s removal

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has highlighted constitution grounds on which President Muhammadu Buhari could be impeached by the National Assembly.

Falana who spoke on the sidelines of an event to mark world Press Freedom Day, said Nigeria was at war, as the current administration can no longer perform its function of securing lives and properties.

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“Our country is going through war. In the North-East the Boko Haram sect is having an upper hand, don’t be deceived,” Mr Falana said, noting that the insurgents are now in Niger and Kebbi.

Citing the section 143 of the constitution which provides that “The President or Vice-President may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this section,” Falana berated the current administration saying that “a regime that has outlived its usefulness boasts that no one can suggest that the president should resign.

“For them, it’s a reasonable statement to ask the president to resign. But for me I submit by virtue of section 143 and we didn’t put it. If the president is unable to perform the primary functions of his office, the National Assembly shall move for him and ensure that he is neatly taken away out of power through the process of impeachment,” he said.

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According to the lawyer, Nigeria has attained that stage because the government has failed in its primary duties.

“I think Nigeria has gotten to that stage because section 14 (2) (3) provides that the primary purpose of the government in Nigeria shall be the security and welfare of the people, so if the government can neither guarantee your security nor your welfare, what is left for that government to be sacked,” said the lawyer who once claimed that Buhari’s regime knows those that are breaching the peace of the country.

Insecurity has worsened under the president’s watch, as a number of daily attacks leave Nigerians raising doubts if the retired major general is still in control of the country.