Jonathan Fights Buhari Over Nyako’s Impeachment

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jonathan-buhari-300x182General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd.), Nigeria?s former head of state has bluntly held Nigeria?s President Goodluck Jonathan responsible for the impeachment of former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako and what he described as government?s ?runaway train of impunity?.

The former Military Head of state therefore asked president Jonathan to promptly stop the act which he says is now a threat to the nation?s democracy.

The Chieftain with the opposition party, All Progressives Congress, APC also blamed Jonathan for the recent gale of impeachment threats against other APC governors.

?Whether or not President Goodluck Jonathan is behind the gale of impeachment or the utilization of desperate tactics to suffocate the opposition and turn Nigeria into a one-party state, what cannot be denied is that they are happening under his watch, and he cannot pretend not to know, since that will be akin to hiding behind one finger.

??The dangerous clouds are beginning to gather and the vultures are circling; and these have manifested in Nasarawa where the ordinary people have defied guns and tanks to protest the plan to impeach Gov. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura in a repeat of the bitter medicine forced down the throat of Gov. Murtala Nyako,? General Buhari said.

He also added that ??the people?s protest in Nasarawa is a sign of what to come if the federal authorities continue to target opposition state governors for impeachment.?

?On the long run, the impeachment weapon will be blunted. Positions will become more hardened on both sides and Nigeria and Nigerians will become the victims of arrested governance and possible anarchy.?

The ex-military ruler said that he has a duty to speak out regardless of his status as a politician and an opposition leader, and that he resorted to public comments after unsuccessfully trying to have the president reconsider his tactics despite privately discussing with him.

In his response, President Jonathan absolved himself of any blame and asked Buhari not to blame him for the woes of APC.

According to a press release issued by the state house, the allegations of Buhari were regarded as ?wild and totally unsustainable?.

The statement read in part, ?We have noted with much surprise and regret, the statement issued by General Muhammadu Buhari today in which he made some wild and totally unsustainable allegations against President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

?Although he tries very hard to deny it in the statement titled ?Pull Nigeria Back From the Brink?, there can be no doubt that General Buhari has sadly moved away from the patriotic and statesmanlike position he recently adopted on national security, which President Jonathan publicly commended, and has now reverted to unbridled political partisanship.

?There can be no other explanation or justification for the completely unwarranted and very uncharitable assault on the conduct and integrity of President Jonathan which the statement he issued represents?.

The statement signed by Reuben Abati, President Jonathan?s Media Aide, stated further that ?General Buhari?s main grouse which clearly motivated his ill-considered statement appears to be what he called ?the gale of impeachments or the utilisation of desperate tactics to suffocate the opposition and turn Nigeria into a one-party state?.

?It is most unfortunate that instead of working to put their house in order and resolve the leadership crises and internal contradictions that have plunged their party into a downward spiral, General Buhari and his opposition allies have resorted to blaming a blameless President for their woes.

?The processes for impeaching an elected Governor are clearly stipulated in the National Constitution which Nigeria has operated since 1999. The President of Nigeria is not assigned any role in that process and President Jonathan has certainly not played any role in the recent impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa or in the impeachment drama currently being played out in Nasarawa State.

?General Buhari talks about anarchy. He needs to be reminded that President Jonathan from his humble beginnings as a Deputy Governor in Bayelsa state to date, has never in his acts, or utterances, recommended or promoted violence as a tool of political negotiation.

?The constitution does not give the President any power to intervene in such proceedings and President Jonathan has never arrogated such powers to himself ?or sought to exert any nefarious and unconstitutional influence on state assemblies in Adamawa, Nasarawa or anywhere else in other to secure undue political advantage for his party as General Buhari unjustifiably alleges?.

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