The senate on Thursday went into a rowdy session after Eyninaya Abaribe, a
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Abia state, described President
Muhammadu Buhari as incompetent.
Abaribe had moved a motion reacting to a comment made by Buhari in UK on
Wednesday.
While receiving Justin Welby, archbishop of Canterbury, Buhari blamed the
farmers, herders clashes on militias trained by Muammar Gaddafi, former
prime minister of Libya.
But speaking on the floor on the chamber, Abaribe wondered why the
president was still the commander-in-chief when he could not protect the
country from invasion.
“Two explanations were given by highly ranked security personnel on the
matter of herdsmen versus farmers clashes,” he said.
“First of all, the IGP said that these killings were as a result of laws
being past by states. Secondly, the defence minister said that these
killings were as a result of the blockage of routes through which these
herders are to move their cattle.
“And we continued to look at all these explanations. Yesterday in London,
the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Nigeria and the president of
Nigeria said the killings are as a result of the people who were trained
by the late Muammar Gaddafi and so implying that these people doing these
killings in Nigeria are from outside Nigeria and even if he says they are
invaders from outside Nigeria, what it means is that now it validates my
last point on this floor.
“When a commander-in-chief cannot take care of invaders, invading Nigeria
why is he still a commander-in-chief, why do we continue to indulge? Why
do we continue to indulge this president that everywhere goes along to
tell everyone outside this country that he is totally incompetent. Because
it is obvious.”
At this point, lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenged
him, with shouts of “point of order” erupting in the chamber.
After calm returned to the chamber, Ahmed Lawan, majority leader, cited
order 53 of the senate rules, saying the president deserves respect.
“The president of the federal republic of Nigeria is the leader of this
country and deserves the respect and courtesy of this chamber and those of
us in it,” Lawan said.
“I was once a member of the opposition and I do not recall ever insulting
the then president or insult him. This is our institution. If we do not
conduct ourselves with respect, nobody will. I want to ask my colleague to
immediately withdraw his statement and apologise to this chamber.”
Cautioning Abaribe, Senate President Bukola Saraki said words that are
offensive should not be used.
Responding, Abaribe said: “I am very well guided by you but there are
words that there are no alternatives to. What I did was to interpret the
words by Mr President in London. If any word I used is misunderstood by
anyone, I apologise. What I am saying is simple.”