Nigeria Content Online

The frequent
impeachment of speakers of state Houses of Assembly across the country
is not healthy for the growth of the nation’s democracy, President
Goodluck Jonathan has said.

Mr Jonathan that
not too long ago, it was almost a weekly affair to hear that a speaker
has been impeached; adding that the inclusion of the impeachment clause
in the constitution does not mean it should be abused. The president
made these observations yesterday when he received 27, out of the 36,
speakers of the state Houses of Assembly who paid him a courtesy call
to register their condolence over the death of some Nigerians in the
October 1st bomb blasts. “There was a time that it was almost like an
epidemic: every day, every week and every month you heard one or the
other speaker being impeached,” the president said, adding that until
impeachment is reduced to its minimum, the nation would never stabilize
politically.

Not to be abused

Mr Jonathan also
said that the provision in the constitution that the president, the
vice president, governor, deputy, the speaker and the deputy speaker
could be impeached is also not to be abused. “The idea of every day a
speaker is being impeached shows that we are not stable politically,”
he said. “A nation that is stable politically need not carry out
impeachment every day.”

The president
expressed happiness that at least the nation is gradually stabilizing.
“I pray that we go with that spirit because it is when you stabilize
politically that the economic growth of the nation can be accelerated,”
he said. “I’m happy that for some time now, the stories of impeachment
are quite minimal.”

The leader of the delegation and speaker of the Taraba State House
of Assembly, Istefanus Gbana, told the president that they were in the
Villa to also congratulate him over the successful organization of the
nation’s independence golden jubilee anniversary.