GUBERNATORIAL IMPEACHMENT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR DEMOCRACY, PEACE AND SECURITY IN BAYELSA, PLATEAU AND OYO STATES, NIGERIA

Abstract

Impeachment is a constitutional provision for the removal of certain categories of elected political officials such as President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors for gross misconduct as contained in Section 143 Sub-sections 1-11 and Section 188 Sub-sections 1-11 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution. Extant studies on impeachment have focused almost exclusively on threats of impeachment, judicial review of impeachment cases and the role of the legislature, while little attention has been paid to its implications for democratic practice, peace and security. This study, therefore, investigated the impeachments of Governors DSP Alamieyeseigha, Joshua Dariye and Rashidi Ladoja of Bayelsa, Plateau and Oyo States, respectively with emphasis on the extent to which the impeachments complied with constitutional provisions. Patterns and processes of their impeachments, legal and political issues triggered by the way in which the impeachments were conducted and the implications for democracy, peace and security in Nigeria. Boone’s Patron-Client and Mosca’s Elite Fragmentation theories served as framework. Case study research design was adopted. Primary and secondary data were utilised. Thirty-six in-depth interviews were conducted in Bayelsa, Plateau and Oyo states, using purposive and snowballing sampling techniques to select respondents comprising 13 former legislators, six party leaders, one of the three impeached governors, one constitutional lawyer, seven panel members that investigated allegations of gross misconduct against the governors, three journalists and five stakeholders. Secondary data were derived from books, periodicals, 1999 Constitution, Law Reports and Parliamentary proceedings. Data were content analysed. The impeachments of the three Governors did not comply with the constitutional provisions, as the required quorum of two-third legislators for impeachment was not fulfilled in all cases. In Bayelsa State, only 15 lawmakers out of 24 conducted the impeachment of Governor DSP Alamieyeseigha. In Plateau State only six legislators out of 24 impeached Governor Joshua Dariye, while only 18 out of 32 lawmakers conducted the impeachment of Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State. The three states shared similar patterns of the impeachment as political interests of aggrieved patrons and other vested interests played significant roles in instigating these impeachments. The processes of these impeachments were the overt display of federal power using the security operatives as instruments of impeachment. Both Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State and Joshua Dariye of Plateau State were reinstated by the Supreme Court, while DSP Alamieyeseigha was unable to reclaim his mandate. The impeachments occasioned harassment of state lawmakers by security personnel, loss of life of Mr. Darupale and the destruction of the property of Lam Adesina in Ibadan, burning of Ibrahim Mantu’s house and assaults on security operatives in Jos, and the escalation of militancy in the Niger Delta. The impeachments of the three governors were a setback to governance and overall development of the affected states. The unconstitutional impeachments of DSP Alamieyeseigha, Joshua Dariye and Rashidi Ladoja undermined democracy, peace and security in Nigeria. To avert recurrence of unconstitutional impeachments, there should be strict adherence to the provisions of the constitution.