The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has described impeachment as a political tool.
Speaking during a media briefing on Saturday, Wike said impeachment proceedings are rarely influenced in situations where there is a cordial working relationship between the executive and the legislature.
According to him, “Impeachment is a political tool. Where the executive and legislators are working together, hardly you will hear anybody talking about impeachment.”
The former Rivers State governor further contended that no public office holder is completely free from actions that could be interpreted as impeachable offences, stressing that mistakes are inevitable in governance.
“There is nobody in government who didn’t commit any impeachment offence in government, not one. There must be one mistake or the other,” he said.
Wike’s comments signify the political nature of impeachment proceedings in democratic systems, where legislative decisions often reflect not only legal and constitutional considerations but also the relationship between the executive and lawmakers.
Under Nigeria’s Constitution, the President, Vice President, Governors, and Deputy Governors may be removed from office by impeachment for “gross misconduct,” subject to procedures outlined in Sections 143 and 188 of the Constitution.
However, what constitutes gross misconduct has frequently been the subject of political and legal debate.
