Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, says President Muhammadu Buhari ought to have sought the approval of the National Assembly before deploying troops in Senegal for an operation in The Gambia.
Nigerian troops and fighter jets were deployed in Senegal for the enforcement of a resolution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to remove President Yahya Jammeh should he refused to leave office as the president of the tiny West African country.
However, raising a Point of Order on the floor of the Senate, on Thursday, a senator from Enugu state, Chukwuka Utazi, pointed out the illegality of the president’s action.
He said, according to the constitution, the national assembly must be briefed before troops are deployed in any country.
But Senate President Bukola Saraki only noted his argument, saying the president had at least seven days to inform the National Assembly before deploying troops in a foreign country, and that that window had not elapsed.
However, Ekweremadu rose to explain that the constitution made it clear that the president must inform the National Assembly before deploying troops in a foreign country – that is, before taking the action.
His argument was only noted as well.
There was no debate on the matter afterwards.