By: Sunday Oyewole
Following allegation that the Presidency has earmarked huge sum to influence members of the House of Representatives to move for the impeachment of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, the Abubakar Baraje-led New PDP has warned seriously against this.
The splinter group of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) posited that the plot if carried out, could plunge the country into avoidable chaos.
According to the nPDP’s National publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Eze, the plan is to impeach the Speaker and some Principal Officer who are alleged to have soft spot for the nPDP with a view to eventually endorse President Jonathan for 2015.
Eze’s statement reads, “Information reaching us indicates that the Bamanga Tukur faction of the PDP working in concert with some Presidency officials have set about to induce members of the House of Representatives with a view to passing a vote of confidence on President Jonathan and impeaching their principal officers.
“Part of their strategy is to place advertisements in major national newspapers in the country starting from next week, praising a non-performing Presidency to the high heavens so as to water the ground for President Jonathan’s expected declaration for the 2015 presidential contest. Each member is expected to receive 25,000 USD (about N2.5M) to sign the advertorial endorsing the President.
“The plan is to commence the impeachment of principal officers of the House after the publication of these adverts. We are aware of the identities of those involved in this shady business being coordinated by an influential member of the discredited Tukur faction from the Southern part of the country.”
“Passing a Vote of Confidence on President Jonathan and celebrating him in the papers as these undemocratic elements plan to do is not only insensitive but also amounts to celebrating the death traps called federal roads and celebrating darkness after the billions of naira squandered on a non-functional power sector.
“We urge our members all over the world to continue with fasting and prayers as we collectively seek God’s face on how to resolve the orchestrated crisis in our great party and thus minimize the heavy toll which it is taking on the Jonathan Administration”.
It will be recalled that when the House resumed from recess during the week, the decision of speaker Tambuwal to allow the chairman of the nPDP, Mr. Baraje to address the plenary led to fisticuffs among members.
