Senators in Rowdy Session After Abaribe Calls Buhari Incompetent

It was a rowdy session at the Senate on Thursday following Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s description of President Muhammadu Buhari as "incompetent" in handling of clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

Abaribe (Abia PDP) had used the word while reacting to Buhari’s comments made in London last Wednesday when the president said the killer herdsmen were not Nigerians but militias trained by the late Muammar Gadaffi of Libya.

Abaribe, in a motion raised at plenary, queried why Buhari as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces was incapable of protecting Nigeria from foreign invasion.

He also wondered why the president, Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, and the Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan Ali (rtd), have propounded different reasons for the recurring clashes.

Idris, Abaribe recalled, had blamed the clashes on the anti-grazing laws passed by some of the affected states, while the minister had said they were caused by the blockage of grazing routes.

“Yesterday (Wednesday) in London, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces 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 the country.

"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 this president (such) that everywhere he goes tells everyone outside this country that he is totally incompetent? Because it is obvious…,” Abaribe added.

At this point, his presentation was interrupted by shouts of ‘point of order’ by several senators who raised their hands, requesting permission from the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to register their protest.

It took a few minutes for calm to be restored to the chamber.

The Majority Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, who first took the floor, expressed displeasure at Abaribe’s choice of words, which he said disrespected the president.

"The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the leader of this country, and he deserves the respect and courtesy of this chamber, and those of us in it.  I was once a member of the opposition and I do not recall ever calling the then president names, or insulting him. This is our institution. If we do not conduct ourselves with respect, nobody will,” he said.

Lawan demanded that Abaribe should withdraw the statement and apologise to the chamber.

Saraki, backing Lawan’s position, said offensive words must not be used by senators.

“We can make our points without using words that are offensive. Please be guided accordingly,” Saraki ruled.

Abaribe apologised to his colleagues, but said he simply interpreted the words used by Buhari himself.

"I am very well guided by you, but there are words that have no alternatives. What I did was to interpret the words by the president in London. If any word I used is misunderstood by anyone, I apologise. What I am saying is simple. The heads of security in Nigeria made several explanations for the killings of our people. It shows that there is a disconnection,” he said.

Meanwhile, yesterday, both chambers of the National Assembly condemned the April 5, 2018, attacks on five banks in Offa, Kwara State, which led to the losses of several lives.

The Senate expressed displeasure at the ease at which the criminals executed the attacks with sophisticated weapons and made away with substantial amount of money.

Senator Rafiu Irahim (Kwara APC), in a motion, recalled that similar attacks have been recorded in other towns in the state, with the latest incident being the fourth major one in ten years in the area.

“I am worried that if such attacks are allowed to continue, it may lead to the closure of financial institutions in the town, and this may cripple commercial activities in the town and its environs,” he said.

The Senate, in its resolutions, urged the federal government to consider setting up a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Kwara South senatorial district, and urged the IG to reinforce security in the area.

The House of Representatives, while condemning the attacks, also commiserated with the victims over the loss of lives and material resources.

This followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by Hon. Olayonu Danladi (Kwara APC) who expressed concern how the security system could be easily overwhelmed and personnel, gruesomely killed in security facility.

Describing the development as an issue that calls for serious concern, the lawmaker said citizens have right to security and life as guaranteed in the constitution, stressing that this cannot be undermined.

Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yussuf Lasun, described the incident as horrible, as he expressed worry at the disparity in population growth and police manpower.

He also stressed the need to look at values and mentality of Nigerians in moving forward.

Hon. Toby Okechukwu (PDP, Enugu) said the current security situation is a total dysfunction and needed total overhaul, adding that the "Police Force is ill-equipped.”