Posted by By JAMES OJO and JACOB EDI, Abuja on
The moves to commence impeachment of President Olusegun Obasanjo received the blessings of the leadership of the House of Representatives after a stormy session behind closed doors Tuesday.
The moves to commence impeachment of President Olusegun Obasanjo received the blessings of the leadership of the House of Representatives after a stormy session behind closed doors Tuesday.
Sources at the meeting said that the leadership failed to abort moves of members who were disposed to the impeachment struggle championed by Hon Bashir Nadabo from Katsina State.
Hon Nadabo had gone round to collect signatures of members who agreed that the president had committed impeachable offences and that the process to impeach him should commence.
As at Tuesday, 199 members had appended their signatures and this was confirmed by the spokewoman of the House, Hon Abike Dabiri and the House Chairman on Communications, Hon Alaba Lad- Ojomo.
Briefing the press at the end of a plenary session, Hon Dabiri and Hon Ojomo said that the House decided to take over the impeachment moves from Hon Nadabo because the process of impeaching the president was a serious matter.
"Impeaching the president is a serious matter, it should not be trivialized, it should not be done on the pages of newspapers, that is why the House has decided to take over," Hon Dabiri said.
She added that because of the seriousness attached to the clamour for impeachment, a committee made up of 18 members was set up to streamline constitutional breaches by the president.
"You expect a motion today on the impeachment move, no, it is not like that, we have to do it properly, we have to follow due process, people must see us as a serious institution. The mere fact that Hon Nadabo had been going round to collect signatures does not mean he is wrong, he has not done anything contrary to the constitution. But we believe that all the allegations bordering on constitutional breaches be verified," she explained.
Hon Ojomo confirmed that the House was miffed by the constitutional breaches allegedly committed by the president, adding that what Hon Nadabo did was to make the job of the think- tank committee easy.
Hon Nadabo was not available to speak on the hijacking of the impeachment moves by the House, but some members were skeptical about the commitments of the leadership which did everything possible to checkmate the plan up to the executive session level.
"I don't think these people know the implications of slowing down the moves to impeach the president. Taking over the good work done by Hon Nadabo has reduced the tempo. Mind you, we will be going for the end of session recess. By the time we reconvene, you can be sure that attention must have been shifted from impeachment, it is the corporate image of the House that is worrying me," a member who did not want his name in print said as he walked dejectedly to his car.
Meanwhile, the House has reaffirmed its decision to subject the demolition of houses in Kubwa in Abuja to a public hearing.
The move to issue warrant of arrest as moved by the chairman, Rules and Business, Hon Ita Enang and supported by Hon C.I.D Maduabum was ignored by the Speaker Alhaji Aminu Masari, who reminded members the earlier resolution that a public hearing be organized.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives will brief the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) again for the second time in less than one week Wednesday.
PDP national chairman Dr, Amadu Ali, gave the hint while receiving a delegation of Taraba State executives.
Masari last week was at the party secretariat when he reportedly absolved the leadership of any complicity in the impeachment plot.
Daily Sun gathered that the decision to summon Masari became necessary following the decision of the leadership of House of Representatives to take up the impeachment case against the president.
PDP sources hinted Daily Sun that Masari is expected to join hands with the leadership of the party to find a way out of the looming crisis between the house and the president.