The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has advised the National Assembly to begin impeachment moves against President Goodluck Jonathan, if he fails to return petrol subsidy.
The umbrella body of lawyers also ordered its members to embark on nationwide strike from Monday.
This is in line with the mother of all strikes declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to protest the removal of petrol subsidy by the Federal Government.
In a statement yesterday in Kaduna by its President, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), NBA said the “much-touted palliative” measures reeled out by the government will “destroy what is left of the lives of Nigerians”.
The association regretted that “government took advantage of its people’s distress arising from the Christmas bombings and killings by the Boko Haram terrorists and insensitively caused the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (a creature of statute) to announce the withdrawal of petroleum subsidy”.
“If government should apply half the vigour with which it has pursued the issue of the removal of subsidy to the eradication of corruption in all the arms of government and in society in general, then trillions of naira would be freed up for developmental projects”, it said.
In the statement, entitled “Holding Government Accountable and Responsive to the People”, the NBA said the Justice Belgore Committee raised by government to negotiate with the labour and the civil society organisations is a waste of time “because there is in reality nothing to negotiate”.
“The minimum position is the immediate reversal of this provocative and uncalled for increment of petrol”, it stated.
The association recalled how it cautioned government against the subsidy removal and advised it to adopt a different strategy.
if the federal govt cannot manage there refineries can the really build new ones
removal of the subsidy is a welcome idea……but the masses are the ones suffering it the most.. I believe in GEJ and a better Nigera… What Nigeria needs is just peace, love,harmony & unity …my fellow Nigerians let us trust this government a bit and see if it fails us or not… More enlightenment from the press abt the subsidy will go a long way in helping Nigerians to understand …..fuel sunsidy not bad but if the resources are well utilized thank you….
Mr president: this is hightime to do some thing about these fuel subsidy is becoming out hand before the go on strike.
Am in support of NBA’s stand,the government parades theirself as thou they are mini-gods,theve shaved aside the ultimate goal of governance thus the plight of the masses is a no tale in their agenda. Gej has showed his incompetency to drive the nation forwad in this all sensitive time
The remover of fuel subsidy in nigeria case can only add to the poverty of masses, becos it will only resuit to inflation
I think that the present government is only making the poor to be more poor bcos this removal of fuel subsidy only benefits the rich ones. The move is a good one, but this is not the right time for that. Lets go with one mind.
Mista president nagerians does t vote for you.that is why you rejected their call.you hear your goodfathers like finance minista.etc
I am not suprise if NBA can suggest impeachment of GEJ.This body did not make a voice when LASU Tuition fees was astronomically increased.We know that the marketers have bribed them to support this strike.Nigerians have right to on strike but it is a bad suggestion to impeach GEJ.
Mr president:this is hightime you begin to do something about these fuel subsidy is out hand,if all sectors when on strike monday,don’t you think the country will loose much.Moreover the presence economice situation in country is very poor.
it is really pathetic that the nigerian nation is facing these turbulent problems
I really sympathies with 9ijer people,the person they voted with much expectations has now betrayed them,and punished them for their mistakes of voting him to power.
I beg our Gov. Pls, let their be carring in this our country. Lets consider the poor.
Please Nigerians, lets consider the poor!
Mr Jonathan are you not making a mistake by enbarking on removal of fuel subsidy instead of working out the security of the country? Now it will be better if not the best to cooperate with us before we collectively hand you over to GOD for intervention.
I think GEJ,should think twice because trillions of nigerians are in abject poverty,and that if he still insist on the removal of petroleum subsidy then the federal government should split the allowance of all sentors,governors,ministers and every1 in the federal/state admistration salary should be divided in equal halves,then they should send their biological wards to public secondary and tetiary institution for educational academic affairs.I hope my comments will be answered to with immediate effect.Thank you
To build a house is not a day job not to talk of removing fuel subsidy wen it is knwn to federal government dat it will be hard for the masses. Before anytin Fed shud have find an alternative to ease the hard times by repairing the four refineries, Electricity stability, Rail transportation, diesel buses. With all these available i think nigerians will bear it for short time rather than removing subsidy without sometin tangible to back it up for nigerians. It a shame to GEJ government!!!
nba i am in total support of your decision bcs jonathan shows that he was incompetant to move the nation forward and we have not yet seen any transfomation taking place but destabize the nation therefore he must step down or the national assembly should impeach him.
Many souls are gone you are still doing nothing Mr President, it’s high time you react now NBA..
dis fuel subsidy is becoming a pain on nigerians,pls let d govt do somtn to rectify dis issue tanks
I heard sme pple saying “removal of subsidy is a good idea 4 economic development but not a proper time to be implement”.
Sincerely i got crazy with this assertion bcos it reveals the level of poverty and low level of intelligent.it is instructive to note that any govt with a foresight will neva reason the way egbere jo lantern and his rat&cockroach reason.
The jonathan administration lack sincereity,foresight&leadership quality.viewed from the 2012 budget any reasonable govt who seek 4 the trust of the people will nt allocate about 1billion 4 jst feeding,billion 4 fueling of cars,12.25b 4 travelling ,all this reveal to us that jo is nt sincere&trustworthy,they are looking 4 ways to steal 4rm the nation resources.
Sincerely,they are many way to secure fund 4 dev&to ensure that the govt is trusted on any policy.
1.identify the corrupt cabal in petroleum commerce and bring them to justice.
2.cut down govt expenses.
3.provision of million of efficient petroleum bus.
4.uninterrupted electricity in place.
5.increasing education fund to about 30% of it annual budget.
Lastly wait 4 national assembly support.
i believe d govt. Can reverse its decision if truly they love d masses but i doubt it bcos d rich doesnt lik d poor. God will punish dos dat are punishing d poor masses and wil face d wrougt of god in jesus name amen
Nigeria is/must remain in the hands of God, because if God did not guide the city in vain dot the watch man
NBA, pls hold ur peace cos nothing is done unless someone does it. Our Mr president av decided 2 step on fuel subsidy, i strongly believe dat it’s to the beterment of our country n not his familly. Let us all bye d idear as it is a good one to the benefit of our dear country.
GOODLOCK EBELE JONATHAN IS A FOOL AT 80 AND ALL HE IS WAITING FOR NOW IS FOR HIS DEATH WHICH WILL SOON COME AFTER HIM………
…………………………………………………………………………………..
TELL I SAID HE IS MORETHAN FUCKER.
I don’t know why some ignorant Nigerians will come out and say they are in total support of Mr. President action.
over the years we all knew the situation of this country that january and february are very tough financially for majority of Nigerians, how could a leader took such step to action on the first day in the year when many are celebrating and rejoicing if not for wickedness and inhuman.
Furthermore, when Lamido Sanusi analysed Nigeria economy, he explained that high percentage of nigeria expenses is on the legislators, then Mr. President did not see anything wrong in that before deciding to punish the masses for voting for him as their candidates.
Moreso Mr. President budgeted 1 billion naira for feeding and hundreds of million for utensils isn’t that too much but nothing is wrong with that from his hat-headed point of view and his co-advisers.
Tell your mr president to reverse his action if he don’t want to see the wrath of God on him, his family plus generation to come. Thank God that Patience has prophesied his Husband dead by saying ‘my fellow widow’.
Nigerians please lets continue to pray for God intervention on This country Nigeria.
This removal of fuel subsidy has nothing 2 do with refinaries. The GEJ administration suppose 2 do something concern the terrorist attack in nigeria than hurting the masses the more. Is it a crime to vote you GEJ?
Before we should start entertaining the idea of impeachment we should ask ourselves if he is doing that for his own selfish interest and before we answer that we should have in mind that Nigeria is not embarking on effective tax system throughout the federation…so,how do we meet up with our infrastructures,debts and the like….
What NBA and NLC should know if they continue this way is that they are sellfish and dose not wish the future Nigeria well.
We know our Government have never live to expectation,but i think it’s time we encourage our Government to live to their promise,we elected d president to serve us and the Government is ours.
Why not look to the future of good nigeria then setting down to impeach Mr President and going on strick as a result of personal and sellfish interest. Pls lets support subsidy removal for a better Nigeria.
Lets start the eradication of corruption through the removal of feul subsidy,
Leadership is not rulership but the act of service to humanity. Let our leaders be true.
Why ar we still together? Let’s go Thereeeeeeee!
Nigeria do not import money,we have CBN were money were made.
we don’t import fuel,we’re among the largest country that produce oil,yet we’re not beneficting from it.
we have Electric,infact we give Electric to our neighbouring country light,yet we’re living in darkness.
Our leaders claim we’re rich but we’re dying in hunger.
Our lives are in danger,people die in cold blood everyday by day,no security,no good health,etc.
Since the FG emerge on seat,things were not moving fine,money were not in circulation,boko haram attack,salary not paid,fuel rise,what next?
Instead of the FG and all their parstatal to join hand to bring good living for the country,they were there using pen to loot all the country money.I believe why all these is like this is because the Boko Haram have not bomb any of the government house and kill either the senate or rep.member,then they will wake up.
I strongly support the NBA,we don’t want a leader that are moron and been remoted by other,we need a leader that will stand on his words,fulfil his promises and make the people that elect them in happy.we need a POSITIVE CHANGE for GOOD and the BETTER of Nigeria.
It is time we told ds govt dt they are nt up to d task. Imagine hw they were jokin n behavin (as if they ar kindagartin children)yestdy durin session, even 1 of them cld nt diffrentiate ‘go’ frm ‘went ‘. Anyway, importantly d constitutn shld b revised, for instance hw can anybdy have immunity to probin/justice havin embezzld d nation’s money. Also d way ds country runs its democracy is too xpensiv so all these govt officials’ salaries shld b cut down to 30% or evn lesser, dts wen only d patrotics wil contest in ds country. Corruptn shld b seriously delt with in all strata, by so doin discipline will be our custom. Our president really disapointd us instead of him 2 exert everythn posible to stem ds rascals,Boko Haraam, who do nt undastand Islaam his excellency busy himself wt fuel subsidy. Atleast, if he is able 2 solve one of our major problems plus insecurity Nigerians wil nt forget him. Iam sorry to say ds, d president is incmpetent, or hw can he say cabals were responsibl for subsidy embezlement n didnt fix them, also Boko haraam has infilterated govt n he didnt fix them. May God deliver us.
I think jonathan has gone by removing subsidy at this hard time,and I advise he see a psychiatrist for mental check up
Haba Mr president why can’t you consider Nigerians, this shows how uncaring and irrensible you are,bad luck for Nigerians.
NLC and NUT are selfish they embark on nation wide strike because of fuel subsidy what of mass killing of corps in the northern nigeria during general election. They should allow mr president to carry on his transformation agenda and call off strike