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Soyinka Supports Lawmakers’ Impeachment Move Against Buhari

Published

2 years ago

August 3, 2022

Eric

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, has given his support to the six weeks ultimatum given to President Muhammadu Buhari by some federal lawmakers to find a solution to terrorism or be impeached, saying that the president deserves to be impeached.

Soyinka spoke on Tuesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during an interactive session organised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Abeokuta Club.

The session, which had a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana; the Registrar of the Joint Administration and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede; a lawyer, Gbenga Adeoye; a businessman, Ogo-Oluwa Bankole; and the spokesman of the Electricity Distribution Companies, Sunday Oduntan, as panelists, had as its theme “Good governance or mis-governance: The contract called democracy.”

The PUNCH reports that senators and members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party had last week handed down the ultimatum over lingering insecurity in the country.

Soyinka, who was the session’s moderator, noted that the President should be impeached because he had breached the contract of democracy.

He said, “Democracy indicates a contract, that is why the candidate puts on a manifesto. On the basis of that manifesto, the candidate is either accepted or rejected.

“Very often, the grounds for breach of contract, I think we all agree, is mis-governance and one of the ways of breaking this kind of contract we know even before the duration of a contract is known as impeachment.

“The reason we will go by some legislators to impeach the President who is the head of government. In fact, one cleric has gone even further. He believes that the impeachment should take place not in the legislative home but in the bush with the kidnappers and he appealed to the kidnappers to quicken the process by impeaching the President and take him away and some of his aides and one or two governors.”

Soyinka, however, threw the question to the gathering whether the President should be impeached or not and majority of the people who comprised members of the club and other dignitaries raised their hands that Buhari be impeached.

He also faulted a situation where Buhari, who he said had performed abysmally to the point that lawmakers are considering impeachment, will decide who succeeds him at the end of his tenure.

He added, “In any democracy, any president, prime minister or whatever is entitled to one vote. We are not saying we should disenfranchise somebody because they are on top of governance.

“They had their right to campaign for any candidate they like but there is nothing in any constitution that I know of, in any democratic constitution, which says that the head of government should appoint his or her successor.

“I am not aware of it and this is a head of governance who is generally agreed, I believe, as having failed, having misgoverned to the point that impeachment is being considered.

“I hear the governors go to this individual, go to this failure and say to him ‘please give us your successor.’

“Many of us in this country, including governors, including chairmen of local governments, what comprehension they have of this process called democracy because what these governors are telling us is that after a failure has occupied a seat of government for eight years, that failure should give us another failure for another eight years.”

Soyinka urged the governors to stop desecrating democracy by enthroning a dynasty of failure.

Falana, in his remarks, corroborated Soyinka’s submission on the need to stop the abuse of democratic process.

He decried the imposition of leaders on Nigerians.

Oloyede, in his submission, urged Nigerians not to focus on the faults of the Federal Government but concentrate on the state governments’ involvement in the failure.

The Punch

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Tinubu Presents N47.9trn 2025 Appropriation Bill to NASS

Published

3 days ago

December 18, 2024

Eric

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, presented the proposed 2025 federal budget to a joint session of the National Assembly.

The N47.9 trillion budget saw a whopping N3.5 trillion allocated to the education sector.

Other sectors that got higher allocations include defence and security – N4.91tn, infrastructure – N4.06tn and health – N2.4tn.

“It is with great pleasure that I lay before this distinguished joint session of the National Assembly, the 2025 Budget of the National Assembly of Nigeria titled, ‘The Restoration Budget’ security peace, building prosperity,” Tinubu said as he concluded his 30-minute presentation at 1:10pm.

This budget highlights the government’s focus on improving education, healthcare, and infrastructure, in line with its ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ aimed at boosting the economy and addressing key national priorities.

The live broadcast of the budget presentation today revealed the government’s plans for the next fiscal year. With a strong emphasis on human capital development, the president highlighted the budget’s commitment to improving the nation’s economic foundation.

Education sector receives major funding

A significant portion of the 2025 budget is dedicated to education, with N3.5 trillion allocated to the sector. President Tinubu stated that part of this funding would be directed toward infrastructure development, including support for Universal Basic Education (UBEC) and the establishment of nine new higher educational institutions.

“We have made provision for N826.90 billion for infrastructural development in the education sector,” Tinubu said.

This allocation aims to improve educational facilities and support ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s educational system.

Focus on human capital development

During the presentation, the president emphasized the importance of investing in Nigeria’s human capital. “Human capital development, our people are our greatest resource. That is why we are breaking record investment in education, healthcare, our social services,” he remarked.

Tinubu also pointed to the N34 billion already disbursed through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to assist over 300,000 students.

The budget includes continued investments in healthcare and social services as part of the broader goal of enhancing the quality of life for Nigerians.

Strengthening the economy and national security

Tinubu highlighted that the 2025 budget is designed to build a robust economy while addressing critical sectors necessary for growth and security.

“This budget reflects the huge commitment to strengthening the foundation of a robust economy, while addressing the critical sectors essential for the growth and development we envision; and secure our nation,” he said.

The budget aims to tackle key challenges and foster long-term economic stability by prioritizing infrastructure and development in key sectors.

Healthcare and social services allocations

In addition to education, Tinubu focused on the allocation for healthcare and social services. The government plans to increase investments in healthcare infrastructure and services to ensure broader access to essential healthcare for Nigerians.

These investments are part of the administration’s strategy to improve overall living conditions and enhance public health across the country.

President Tinubu’s proposed 2025 budget is said to reflect the administration’s commitment to achieving its development objectives, with a focus on economic growth, human capital development, and infrastructure improvement.

As the National Assembly reviews the budget, the president reiterated his administration’s resolve to address the nation’s most pressing needs.

Source: Nairametrics

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Ghana’s President-elect Mahama Visits Tinubu in Abuja

Published

4 days ago

December 17, 2024

Eric

Ghana’s President-Elect, Dr. John Dramani Mahama, a courtesy visit to President Bola Tinubu at his residence, Presidential Villa, State House on Monday.

Mahama won 56 percent of the votes in this month’s presidential election, compared to the ruling party candidate and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who secured 41 percent.

The landslide comeback for former president Mahama ended eight years in power for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) under President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose last term was marked by Ghana’s worst economic turmoil in years, an IMF bailout and a debt default.

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I Stand by What I Said, Kemi Badenoch Replies VP Shettima

Published

1 week ago

December 12, 2024

Eric

The leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has lashed back at Vice President Kashim Shettima over the latter’s reaction to her comments about Nigeria.

Badenoch was born in the UK in 1980 to Nigerian Yoruba parents.

Badenoch, who attained age 16 in Nigeria before departing the country for the UK where she was elected Conservative Party’s leader, described Nigeria as a nation brimming with thieving politicians and insecurity.

However, Shettima, while speaking at the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, December 9, 2024, accused Badenoch of “denigrating her country of origin” with her remarks.

The vice-president listed influential people whose families had migrated to other countries, commending former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as a “brilliant young man who never denigrated his nation of ancestry.”

Reacting on Wednesday, Badenoch lashed back at Shettima, saying she doesn’t do “PR for Nigeria”.

Her spokesperson, as the Tory leader, according to UK Express, said: “Kemi is not interested in doing Nigeria’s PR; she is the Leader of the Opposition in the UK.

“She tells the truth; she tells it like it is; she isn’t going to couch her words. She stands by what she said.”