Returning from a seven-week recess, the Senators who gave President Muhammadu Buhari a six-week ultimatum to improve security or face impeachment proceedings against went completely mum when they resumed on Tuesday.
It may have been because of the ‘improved’ security situation in the country, behind the scene rapprochement, or as a result of briefings from security chiefs, a source, and Senate chiefs said.
Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, gave an insight into the meeting with security chiefs when the Senate opened its doors to the gallery, after a two-hour closed-door session on Tuesday.
Lawan’s words: ”Distinguished colleagues, just before we embarked on our recess the Senate showed serious concerns on the security situation in the country. We had intimate discussions on the security challenges across the country.
“Consequently, the leadership of the senate had two engagements with the Office of the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defense Staff, Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Director General of Department of State Services, Director General of Nigerian Intelligence Agency and other heads of other security agencies, precisely on the 5th of August and 12th September, 2022 to ensure that our defense and security agencies improve on their operational strategies to secure citizens and indeed our country.
“From the assessment of the prevailing situation our security agencies are recording more successes and the situation seems to be improving.
“Nonetheless, the Senate will continue to engage with the defense and security agencies through its appropriate Committees, to ensure that the engagements are sustained”.
Indications that the impeachment move had suffered a blow came from the Chief Whip of the Senate and staunch supporter ofawan, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC Abia North), when he told journalists that the move would suffer defeat if it was brought up.
“The issue of impeachment is a non-existing one. Nobody is talking about it again. Even if they try, they will fail because we have the number to resist it.
“There is nothing wrong with a lawmaker coming up with an impeachment threat but will they succeed? No. So, as far as I am concerned, there is no discussion about Buhari’s impeachment because security has improved.
“We have been meeting with the service chiefs and some of you were there and can testify that the issue of security has improved and it will keep improving”, Kalu told journalists.