Unic Press UK: The Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State of Nigeria, which is presided by Judge Maurine Adaobi Onyetenu, has ordered the National Assembly – the bicameral legislative body – to commence proceedings towards impeaching the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.
The ruling by Judge Onyetenu is in respect of an application by the plaintiffs’, Kanmi Ajibola and Sulaiman Adeniyi, for an order of mandamus to compel the National Assembly – both the Senate and the House of Representatives – to commence impeachment proceedings against the Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari.
In this case which was filed in June 2018 after the plaintiffs’ letter to the National Assembly – the Senate and the House of Representatives – was treated with ‘levity’, the Nigerian president is being accused of violating several sections of the Nigerian Constitution, including Section 137(1)(j): “A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if he has presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission”; Section 14(2)(b): “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”; and Sections 80 and 81 which stipulates that an Appropriation Act is required for the withdrawal/use of public funds.
With regards to Section 137(i)(j), the plaintiffs’ alleged that Muhammadu Buhari did not meet all the basic requirements for contesting the 2015 Presidential Election having submitted a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
In relation to Section 14(2)(b), Buhari is being accused of not securing the lives and properties of the people in the light of the incessant killings by nomadic herdsmen.
In relation to Section 80 and 81, the plaintiffs’ accused the president of unauthorized spending of public funds, saying that an Appropriation Act must precede the spending of government monies by the Executive arm of government.
The court adjourned until 30 October 2018.
