How Buhari called for impeachment of sick, absent Yar’Adua in 2010

Buhari urged the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF) to declare Yar'Adua incapacitated and have him impeached due to his inability to carry out his official duties.

The former Head of State said further that Yar’Adua’s removal was the only viable option out of the political logjam caused by his long absence.

Buhari made the comments when members of the National Unity Forum paid him a visit in Kaduna.

He also criticized the National Assembly for using “extra-constitutional measures” to empower Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President when the constitution already had a solution to the problem.

The Senate had, on February 9, 2010, controversially used the “doctrine of necessity” to transfer presidential powers to Jonathan, and declared him Acting President until Yar'Adua returned to full health.

“Political expediency won't remedy this kind of problem because if the Executive Council of the Federation had acted in accordance with the constitution, by invoking the necessary sections to declare the President incapacitated, we would not have found ourselves in this present situation," Buhari said.

“As you can see, adopting extra-constitutional measures have not addressed the problem. If it had, we would not have been subjected to the raging debates and controversy going on.

“So, we must go back to the constitution. The Executive Council of the Federation must do the right thing because once we start moving away from the constitution, then we are inviting anarchy,” Buhari added.

In response to Buhari however, the Senate said that it would not impeach Yar’Adua despite pressure to do so.

Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Anthony Manzo, said, after plenary on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, that the Senate “has already spoken,” citing the resolution “which is working, the one that enabled the Vice President to become Acting President.”