The impeachment move
By
I HAVE read almost everything that has been written about the impeachment threat currently selling out most of the newspapers and magazines published. I have read the logical reasoned pieces by people whose intellect and intelligence I respect, people like Reuben Abati of The Guardian, Tony Momoh, Ambassador Isaac Sagay and Dele Sobowale (Frankly Speaking) in the Vanguard to mention a few. I have read the drivels of emotionalism of various other contributors "begging" for mercy rather than addressing the issues and methodology which our 'honourables' have adopted to do what they believe is legally right, not that one is sure whether most of them know what are actual constitutional requirements for the impeachment of a President. I have read the terse warning of dire consequences by some very eminent persons including some lordships spiritual and traditional rulers. I have read the reactions of officers of the state and their restrained contributions in case they step on toes that may eventually have to decide whether or not they continue to hold their offices. I have now read the official reaction by Mr. President himself.
I have watched the very many solidarity visits to Aso Rock and mini rallies organised to show 'support' for the 'beleaguered' President. Beleaguered by our representatives, elected by the people to protect the interest of the people. In all these, what bothers me is that nowhere and at no time have our representatives told us, the people, when they sought and got our approval to impeach the President. Or did we at the time we elected them give them a blanket covering for everything and anything they perceived should be in our interest? I read that the Deputy Speaker said that we the people are the "misinformed populace" and that there was "popular misconception" of the actions of our representatives. So why have they not gone back to their constituencies to correct these "popular misconceptions". I believe that so far, but I may be wrong, only Hon. Florence Aya has stated emphatically that she had consulted her constituency and that they are definitely not in support of the impeachment move (Vanguard, Saturday, September 14, 2002). The Constitution does intend and provides that our representatives should consult us their constituents regularly, which is why they made provisions for themselves to have constituency offices for which the "uninformed populace" pays. Could it be that many of them have not bothered to use the funds for these offices for the purpose for which it is meant?
I am aware and I do concede that we elected - whether we actually voted or not - these people to represent and protect our interest which they claim they are trying to do by impeaching the President. But if we the people are so ignorant about the interest they are protecting, is it not also part of their duty to use to back track and ensure that we understand what they are doing for us before they take such an important step as removing the Executive who was also elected to represent us and protect out interest. How can we build and ensure the sustainability of a culture of constitutionalism when the people are constantly ignored in all the important issues of a Constitution which is expected to govern their lives in relation to what the State has to offer them?
The Constitution, which all our elected representatives - Senators, Representatives, Assemblymen/women and local government councillors, swore to uphold and defend also provides that sovereignty resides in the people. In order to ensure that this power of the people is not ignored, Section 69 provides, that the electorate can recall any member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives if more than "half of the persons registered to vote in that member's constituency allege their loss of confidence in that member". But the people may or may not be aware of this or it may be that they are more mature in their reasoning and are prepared to wait for an "erring" elected representative, be it legislative or Executive to seek their votes again before they deal with him or her. It could be that it is this mature attitude that has dictated the popular reluctance of the people to support the impeachment moves against the President barely seven months to the time when the people can speak again through their votes.
Our Senators and Representatives have consistently justified their own various forms of misbehaviours and violations of the provisions of the Constitution on the basis of "learning process". The latest one of which is the condonation of their colleagues' fraudulent misdeeds. I believe that the electorates have been largely tolerant of their very many "learning process mistakes" some of which would have been criminal offences. All our elected officers - Legislative and Executive - are going through a learning process. We the people are prepared to wait until we can speak again with our votes. Let us all mobilise the people to speak with their votes. We urge our elected representatives to wait and listen to our votes, especially as INEC has woken up to its responsibility to let us have our voters' cards. This is the democratic way towards good governance.