IMPEACHMENT ‘WAR’ INTENSIFIES NassAs the National Assembly plots Jonathan’s impeachment, with Jonathan launching anti-Tambuwal, Obasanjo offensive, all does not seem to be well, writes Sonia O’Aba When passions and emotions run haywire in the heat of disagreements, retribution and vengeance would overcome those concerned. This assertion, made by the Australian poet, Fredrick Hiekma, decades ago, seems set to manifest in all its inglorious forms in the nation’s highest political arena, as the executive and legislative branches of government go for each other’s jugular. On the one hand is President Goodluck Jonathan; on the other is a group of outraged federal legislators led by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal. The lingering war of attrition kick-started barely a few weeks ago following Tambuwal’s defection from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Hell, it is said, hath no fury like a lady spurned. Apparently feeling spurned and scandalized over Tambuwal’s rather melodramatic shuffle, the powers-that-be went for his jugular. Just as the dust raised by Speaker Tambuwal’s defection was still swirling, the Inspector General of Police, Sulaiman Abba, ordered that his security aides be withdrawn. But compared to what was to come, the security-withdrawal order was like a mere preamble. As the whole world watched with mouth agape penultimate week, a platoon of heavily armed policemen were deployed to the National Assembly allegedly as part of the president’s move to bar Tambuwal from the complex and later impeached him. To the dismay of also Rock, however, the “goldfish” slipped through the police dragnet. Not only did the speaker slip into the complex, he waltzed to his office with relative ease, accompanied by a legion of his colleagues who had scaled the fence in defiance of the police blockade. Interestingly, the house of Reps, which is on recess till next month, had reconvened that day specially to consider President Jonathan’s request for an extension of emergency rule Yobe, Adamawa, and Borno States. Unknown to most Nigerians, however, officialdom had allegedly made secret plans to use that as opportunity to get even with Tumbuwal, as evident in the teargas strewn meltdown at the National Assembly that fateful day. Outraged by what virtually all the Reps and their senate counterparts regarded as a crude assault on one of the nation’s four pillar of democracy, they reportedly seceded that it was about time they kick- Jonathan. In fact, as at last weekend over 200 Reps and their fellow senators were said to have signed the impeachment motion. According to a Rep who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, the impeachable offences of Jonathan include unprecedented corruption, ineptitude (as evident in his failure to fame the raging Boko Haram insurgency), dictatorial and anti – democracy tendencies, wanton misuse of the security and armed forces for partisan purposes among others. DESERT HERALD authoritatively gathered that what stiffened the lawmakers resolve to not only proceed with their impeachment move but fast – track the process, was “ disrespectful and arrogant manner the police Inspector General treated is and our leader on Wednesday” { as one of them angrily retorted last Thursday. He was referring; of course, to IG Abba’s instance on Wednesday that he wouldn’t recongnise Tambuwal as house speaker. Despite the legislators’ vehement, the police chief stubbornly refused to recant, insisting that he would not House of Reps! Consequently, chairman of the committee probing penultimate Thursday’s invasion of the House by Abba’s chaps, Hon. Uman Kamo (PDP), Gombe) abruptly closed the session. “ we had through this man’s predecessor was the worst of the lot, but from what we seen within the first few weeks of his (IG Abba’s) confirmation as Inspector General, it’s evident that he is going to be worst in this nation’s history”, one Rep was overheard saying as they trooped out of the complex. In fact, so pervasive is the fear that IG Abba apparently has no qualms in using the police as Jonathan’s personal goons that some concerned statesmen and their Ilk are said to be mounting pressures on the federal lawmakers (including senators) to hasten their impeachment bid. According to reliable sources, their concern is anchored on the theory that Jonathan’s perceived dictatorial antics may embolden him to brazenly manipulate the February 2014 General poll, thereby plugging the nation into possible chaos. - See more at: desertherald/impeachment-war-intensifies/#sthash.ujWWLao1.dpuf
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 15:27:22 +0000
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