Lawmakers Sign Notice For Jonathan’s Impeachment..
Disturbed by the growing
impunity in the country, 130 members of the House of Representatives
yesterday launched a battle to remove President Goodluck Jonathan. They
signed an impeachment notice register.
But Speaker Aminu
Tambuwal asked his colleagues to consider the barricade of the National
Assembly by the police and security agents as part of the price to pay
for a sustainable democracy.
Members at the Executive
Session of the House, refused to table the impunity of the police to
“avoid the situation degenerating into a major crisis.”
Investigation showed that members were angry by the invasion of the National Assembly by the police and security agents.
They alleged that the invasion was backed by the Presidency.
They alleged that
President Jonathan met secretly with on Wednesday night with Senate
President David Mark and Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha on the shape of
yesterday’s House sitting.
Alleging executive
recklessness, interference and abuse of police, the members opted to
collate signatures for an impeachment notice against President Jonathan.
The lawmakers also rejected the request for the extension of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
Instead, they asked the President to “invoke Section 8 of the Armed Forces Act to deal with Boko Haram insurgency”.
A principal officer of
the House said: “With how the police and security agents molested
members of the House of Representatives, President Goodluck Jonathan has
lost our goodwill. We have resolved to stop this impunity in the land.”
Another House member,
who confirmed to have signed the register, said: “This time around, it
is going to be battle to the finish. Going by the principle of
Separation of Powers, the police and security agents have no business
barricading or occupying the National Assembly.
“The Executive arm is misusing the police and security agencies. We will no longer tolerate this.
“In a democracy, the
Legislature is a sacred place. Why will hooded security agents invade
the National Assembly to the extent that members were forced to be
jumping the fence to enter the complex. What has become of our mandate
as elected Representatives?”
The House requires signatures of one-third of the members of the National Assembly to serve impeachment notice on the President.
Senators are believed to be in league with members of the House to move against Jonathan.
The source said: “From
the way we are going, the siege on the National Assembly might be the
beginning of more clampdown on the lawmakers. The closure of the
Assembly by the Chairman, Senate President David Mark suggested that
anarchy was imminent.
“We will not sit by in the House and watch the political environment polluted and our hard-earned democracy turned into diarchy.
“The only condition for
peace is for Jonathan to retrace his steps by respecting the principle
of Separation of Powers and call both the police and security agencies
to order.”
Section 143 of the 1999
Constitution reads in part: “The President or Vice-President may be
removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this section
whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than
one-third of the members of the National Assembly is (a) presented to
the President of the Senate (b) stating that the holder of the office of
President or Vice-President is guilty of gross misconduct in the
performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of
which shall be specified.”
House member said the
Police Affairs Committee was mandated to invite the Inspector-General of
Police, Suleiman Abba, to explain why Representatives were attacked,
teargassed and molested.
Another source confirmed that the House may also reject the President’s 2015 Appropriation Bill.
“With the invasion of
the National Assembly by the police and security agents, the President
may have it extremely difficult in getting our consent to consider the
2015 Appropriation Bill.
“If he can intimidate,
we can also use our constitutional powers to assert our constitutional
rights,” he said. culed from THE NATION online
*They alleged that the
invasion was backed by the Presidency?.This is admissible in court?I am
just asking when ''alleged'' became fact.
Tomorrow something will
happen and PDP will claim they know it is APC..these politicians are so
bitter they are all playing ludo with the future of Nigeria and God will
judge all of them....ALL!
Mscheeeeeeew!.
Comments
Post a Comment