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 Newspaper
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