Senate panel to present report on Buhari’s impeachment today

The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters is expected to present its report on President Muhammadu Buhari’s impeachment on Wednesday.

The committee is looking into the approval of the payment of $496m out of the Excess Crude Account for the purchase of military aircraft.

The 12 Super Tucano aircraft ordered from the United States will be delivered in 2020.

The Senate had on Thursday resolved to refer the matter to the committee for legal advice, when lawmakers became divided on it.

The panel was given the mandate to see whether the President violated the constitution or not.

Most of the lawmakers who spoke on the withdrawal pointed out that the President had breached Section 80 of the 1999 Constitution, while a few disagreed.

Senator Mathew Uroghide, who is the Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts, had specifically urged the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, to allow the chamber to invoke Section 143 of the 1999 Constitution against the President.

Punch quoted Uroghide to have said, “There are serious consequences for the violation of our constitution.

“As a consequence, the only thing that we can draw from on this is that we call on you (Saraki) to invoke Section 143 of the 1999 Constitution.

“What it means is that this matter does not need to be investigated; it is clear that this offence has been committed by Mr President.

“I want the Senate to resolve that what the President has done is procedurally wrong and it is a violation of our constitution. It must be condemned and, of course, the consequences that are contained in the constitution – in Section 143 – should be invoked.”