Gowon warns against impeaching Buhari

A former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) yesterday said it is too early for Nigeria to start impeaching democratically elected presidents.

Gowon stated this at a time the Senate was considering a motion to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari over the purchase of Tucano aircraft at a cost of $496 million without legislative approval.

Addressing the Northern Leaders and Stakeholders’ Assembly in his office in Abuja, Gowon said there was need for unity in the North and across the entire country.

“It will be too early in the day to start impeaching presidents in Nigeria; otherwise, there will be no president that will not get impeached because of these interest groups.

“We need to come together as a people Arewa Consultative Forum, Northern Elders Forum and this forum - the three must come together or else, we will end up dividing our interests thereby polarising the North.

“So it is a question of unity of the people in the North which is very importantý. The interest of the North is the interest of the nation,” he said.

Chairman of the assembly and former political adviser to Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai said the assembly has constituted sub-committees on Northern unity, elections, security and restructuring and would study the reports for necessary action.

Present at the event were, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Gha’ali Na’aba; former FCT Minister, Abba Gana; former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu; Senators Joseph Waku and Paul Wampana; former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Maryam Ciroma; Zainab Maina among others.