Why 5th NASS moved against Obasanjo — Anyim

A former Senate President who also served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, has said arbitrary change of presiding officers of the 4th National Assembly was why the lawmakers moved to impeach former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Anyim stated this yesterday in his address during a public lecture of the National Assembly Legislative Digest which held at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Conference Centre, Abuja.

The former SGF described as unacceptable, a situation where the impeachment of a presiding officer of the legislature was regarded as democracy in action, while that of the executive was seen as democracy under threat.

Anyim said, “A contrived impeachment of any elected officer in any arm of government is unhealthy for democracy.”

He, therefore, urged both arms of government to avoid impeachment at all cost.

“On 29th May, 1999, the 4th National Assembly was inaugurated and one of the daunting challenges was the legislative-executive tango over the selection of leadership.

“When we met with Gowon and other former heads of state, we shared one concern, that is the fact that a situation where impeachment of presiding officers of the National Assembly is regarded as democracy in action and that of the executive arm as democracy under threat is unacceptable,” he said.

He added that the 4th Assembly, through the passage of both the EFCC Act and the ICPC Act, gave life to the institutional fight against corruption and abuse of office by elected officers.

In his remarks, another senator in the 4th Assembly, Jonathan Zwingina, expressed concern over the deteriorating image of the National Assembly, saying journalists must be educated on the rights, privileges and duties of that arm of government.

Zwingina, who was the guest speaker at the event, urged the government to return items such as police affairs, taxation, security and Land Use Act to the Concurrent List in the constitution.

In his address, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said despite the teething problems experienced by the 4th Assembly, the National Assembly had grown to a remarkable institution with remarkable legal frameworks to its name.