For delaying in taking decisive action on the suspended former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and the former Director-General of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA) Ayo Oke, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of double standard, and therefore, urged the National Assembly to immediately commence impeachment proceedings against him.The opposition party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said that President Muhammadu Buhari erred in law by getting alleged corrupt persons from the opposition party like the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki punished severely, while members of the APC who are caught up in the web of corruption are treated with kid gloves.
The party noted that the sack of the men are not enough, but that the president must ensure that they are handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for proper prosecution.
The. PDP said that the statement by the presidency on the sack of the disgraced SGF almost one year into the saga is a slap on the face of Nigerians.
“It is an insult on the-collective intelligence of our people who have waited patiently for the President’s reaction on the humongous act of corruption by two of his principal aides and this is totally unacceptable.
“First and foremost, we had disagreed with the President last year when he decided to setup the panel headed by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to investigate the matter because we thought that was the wrong course of action to take.
“Ordinarily, cases of corruption or alleged cases of misappropriation of funds are supposed to be referred to institutions that are saddled with the responsibility to investigate and prosecute such matters which is the ICPC and the EFCC if there is any prima facie case against them.
But it appears not all animals are equal under the Buhari APC administration. Some people are treated with kid gloves while others particularly those in opposition are subjected to all manner of harrowing experiences.
“One of the Senators of the APC, Senator Shehu Sani of Kaduna State succinctly put the matter when he said that this administration uses deodorant to fight corruption when it comes to some APC members and President Buhari’s kitchen cabinet and insecticides when it involves members of the opposition and those in the National Assembly.
“It took the President almost one year to attend to this matter while the culprits were having a field day at home and enjoying themselves. Whereas, in the case of the opposition especially the PDP members, even when the evidence is flimsy they will be visited with multiple harassment and intimidation for months and weeks without proper trial.
“We cite the case of Sambo Dasuki who has been in detention for over two years and running, even when many courts in Nigeria and the Ecowas Court have ordered for his release, but the President has flagrantly disobeyed these court orders which again are a violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This is an impeachable offence.
“So the President cannot just sack Ayo Oke and Babachir Lawal and expects us to be clapping for him.
“We believe that we are operating under a democracy and a Constitution that governs our affairs. To have subjected these people to different sets of rule and treatment is totally unacceptable.
“Nigerians are the same under the law and Babachir Lawal and Ayo Oke should not be tried by the Presidency while others are hounded by the EFCC and ICPC.
“These actions of Mr. President are therefore a breach of his oath of office which he swore to defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to be fair and just to all Nigerians without any discrimination whatsoever.
“The action of the President is a gross violation of his constitutional oath and therefore constitutes a veritable ground for impeachment
“Using and applying different laws to different people in the country is a direct assault on the constitution and the rule of law .
“Consequently, we call on the National Assembly to begin processes to impeach the President for breach of the Constitution and fragrance disobedient to the laws of Nigeria” the statement read.
The PDP noted that the acceptable decision to be taken on the matter is for the president to release these men to the anti-graft agencies for prosecution in line with laid down rules and the laws of the nation.
“We totally reject these actions and the law should follow its full course on the issues of these officers.
“In other words, their case should be referred to the EFCC for proper investigation and trial, more so when the President has not told us what the report of the findings was.
“Nigerians are entitled to know the findings of the panel headed by the Vice President. The report should be made public since it is the people’s money that is involved.
“The President has by his actions taken Nigeria to the level of a banana republic. We are not in a banana republic, this is the Federal Republic of Nigeria . Three successive governments of the PDP did not act in the manner President Buhari is acting.
“There is no doubt that the sudden sack of the SGF and the DG of NIA is just a consequence of the backlash on the Abdulrasheed Maina saga. Up till now there’s no answer to the pertinent questions we have asked on the Maina saga.
