APPRAISAL OF IMPEACHMENT PROCESS UNDER THE 1999 CONSTITUTION OF NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

                       Background of the Study

The gale of impeachments and threats of impeachment of political office holders in Nigeria today are not only worrisome and alarming, but pose a great danger to the survival of our nascent democracy which we all longed and laboured for after many years of military hegemony.

The 4^th Republic (the focus of this research) which started from 29^th May 1999 to present day has recorded so many impeachments of political office holders ranging from speakers of Houses of Assembly and their Deputies Governors and their Deputies as well as Senate Presidents. At a point, members of the National Assembly threatened to impeach former President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as Goodluck Jonathan.

The impeachment of Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State and the botched attempt to impeach the Governor of Nasarawa State, Al-Makura, are factors that motivated, inspired and provoked the researcher to embark on this research. There is no doubt that this research will help to enrich the existing jurisprudence on the law and practice of impeachment process under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)

        Statement of research problem

The gale of impeachments in Nigeria has done more harm than good Politicians have thrown caution to the wind in their efforts to fulfil their political goals and ambitions without following due process laid down in the Constitution. It is on record that many impeachments took place outside the hallowed chambers of parliament like in the hotel or even the residence of one of the conspirators¹.Most times, the quorum will not be formed and yet the honourable members will go ahead with the impeachment proceedings. We have seen instances where a willing member will be appointed as Speaker pro tempore to carry out the duties of a substantive Speaker who is not willing to join the conspiration to impeach a Governor².