"APC alleged plan to remove Saraki as Senate president cannot stand" - Falana

Renowned human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, on Sunday, August 5, cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against any plan to impeach the Senate president Bukola Saraki.

Channels TV reports that Falana said Saraki can not be impeached without the support of two-third majority of the entire members of National Assembly.

He also noted that since the recent defection of a number of legislators from the ruling party has generated some controversy, it is pertinent to examine relevant provisions of the constitution and decided judicial authorities on the matter.

Also citing the decision of the Supreme Court in a case between Abegunde v Ondo State House of Assembly (2014), the senior advocate admitted that the defection of the R-APC legislators from the APC to the PDP and ADC “can be impugned under section 68 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution.”

Since the APC had allowed legislators to decamp from the PDP to join its fold recently, Falana noted that the ruling APC “lacks the moral and political right to condemn the defection of the R-APC legislators.”

The Nigerian government said the defection of the Senate president from the ruling APC was a great relief to the party.

The federal government said that Saraki was always an opposition in the ruling party, who used his position as Senate president to frustrate the workings of the government.

The minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, who stated this while briefing state House correspondents after the weekly meeting of the FEC, presided over by President Buhari at the Villa, said Saraki had become the greatest obstacle to the government.