Some Peoples Democratic Party’s senators on
Monday started impeachment moves against
President Goodluck Jonathan over what they
described as the high level of impunity and
corruption allegedly being condoned by his
administration.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that
the PDP senators had started compiling
impeachable offences against the President.
An All Progressives Congress member of the
Senate, who confided the development in our
correspondent on the condition of anonymity,
explained that his aggrieved PDP colleagues in
the upper chamber had started reaching out to
the opposition senators.
He said, “I was personally consulted this evening
over the issue and I also cross-checked from my
colleagues who also told me that they had been
contacted.
“The grouse of the lawmakers, according to the
person that contacted me, was that Jonathan’s
handling of the last week Thursday’s invasion of
the National Assembly by the police was
carelessly handled by the Jonathan
administration.
“From the look of things, the proceedings will
start on Tuesday because some signatures had
been collected already.”
Another senator from the PDP, who also craved
anonymity, also confirmed the development to
our correspondent stating that it was certain that
the President was not capable of superintending
over a free and fair election in 2015.
He said, “Our President is not in charge. We have
seen that he had allowed the governors to hijack
powers from him. He is just like a puppet and the
earlier we act fast, the better for us.”
Meanwhile, opposition members in the Senate
have threatened to raise the issue of the last
Thursday’s invasion of the National Assembly by
the security operatives, when the Senate resumes
plenary today (Tuesday).
The spokesperson for the group, who is also the
member representing Ekiti Central on the platform
of the APC, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, gave the
hint in a telephone interview with our
correspondent in Abuja.
Ojudu said his colleagues were very annoyed with
the ways they were maltreated and molested by
the policemen, who were deployed in the National
Assembly on the orders of the Inspector –
General of Police.
He said majority of his members were of the
opinion that the IGP should not be allowed to
enter into the chambers, but should be asked to
resign for allegedly ridiculing the federal
lawmakers who had done nothing wrong other
than going to carry out their lawful legislative
activities.
He said, “We (APC Senators) are holding a crucial
meeting this (Monday) night to take a final
decision on the matter because majority of us are
really angry. Some are even of the opinion that
we should demand the resignation or sacking of
the IGP.
“I can assure you that the issue of the National
Assembly invasion by the police would be raised
when we resume sitting tomorrow (Tuesday ), but
we are going to take a single position on the
matter at our meeting tonight,” he added.
However, the Chairman, Senate Committee on
Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator
Eyinnaya Abaribe, had in an interview with our
correspondent, on Saturday, maintained that the
Senate would not be thrown into any chaotic
situation over the Thursday’s invasion of the
National Assembly complex by security
operatives.
He had admitted that the IGP would appear
before the Senate but assured the public that the
matter would be handled with maturity.
He had said, “The Senate will discuss the invasion
of the National Assembly by security operatives
when it reconvenes on Tuesday. Already we have
invited the Inspector – General of Police to find
out who gave the order for the harassment of
federal lawmakers last Thursday.
“So, I do not anticipate any form of stormy
session during our sitting next Tuesday. I can
assure you that the Senate is made up of
gentlemen and women who are very senior
citizens of the Nigerian society.
“Therefore, you cannot expect the Senate to act,
except in a decorous manner.”
Abaribe also said that the Senate would still go
ahead with deliberations on the emergency rule in
the three north-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno
and Yobe contrary to insinuations that the matter
had ended since the period of emergency had
lapsed.
He said, “We had invited the service chiefs and we
will find out from them, the update on the
insurgency situation in the north-eastern states of
Adamawa, Borno and Yobe so that we can
address the issue of the state of emergency
requested by President Goodluck Jonathan.”
SOURCE : PUNCH
