The Peoples Democratic Party may have
started offering ‘re-election tickets’ to its
members in the National Assembly as a
means of dissuading them from supporting
the reported drive by the All Progressives
Congress lawmakers to impeach President
Goodluck Jonathan.
In the House of Representatives in particular,
the bait was said to have “toned down” the
anger of some PDP members, who ordinarily
would have backed the bid to remove
Jonathan.
An influential National Assembly source said
on Sunday that “many of these lawmakers
have long fallen apart with their state
governors.
“They have been told before now that they
should forget any ambition to return in 2015.
“Attempts they made to use the Presidency
to intervene in their case also did not turn
out in their favour.
“But, with the impeachment move against
Jonathan, the party is now assuring some of
the members to keep supporting the
President as the tickets can still be theirs.”
About 113 lawmakers, largely of the APC
fold, began collecting signatures to impeach
Jonathan after the police and Department of
State Service operatives locked the gates of
the National Assembly on Thursday.
Many of them, including the Speaker, Aminu
Tambuwal, were held out for hours as a
result of the security action.
The development led to commotion as angry
members resorted to scaling the gates to
enter the National Assembly premises.
Amidst a rain of tear-gas, the enraged
lawmakers also forcibly took Tambuwal into
the chambers to preside over the day’s
proceedings.
The security action was said to be
connected with the October 28 defection of
Tambuwal from the PDP to the APC.
However, the police claimed that they acted
on a security report indicating that some
persons planned to invade the National
Assembly.
Investigations showed on Sunday that the
PDP immediately started reaching out to its
members after it turned out that the
collection of signatures was real.
The party was said to be mobilising the PDP
caucus against joining their APC colleagues
in any bid to impeach Jonathan.
A senior PDP member, Mr. Bethel Amadi,
confirmed to The PUNCH that the caucus
would be mobilised to stop any
impeachment move against Jonathan.
Amadi said, “Jonathan has not committed
any offence to the best of our knowledge.
There is no reason to drag Mr. President
into any crisis happening at the National
Assembly.
“In any case, we (PDP) are in the majority,
both in the Senate and the House. So, any
talk of impeachment can only make one
laugh.”
But, The PUNCH gathered that the PDP was
wooing Senators and House members with
the return tickets to keep them in check.
Another source said, “You know that to
impeach the President there must be a joint
effort of the Senate and the House.
“While one arm can initiate the process, it
cannot get far without two-thirds support of
both chambers.
“That is why, getting senators and House
members to stay out of the APC’s plot is
vital.”
Findings also showed that the ‘return tickets
bait’ was the reason some PDP legislators
were still not showing strong interest in the
impeachment move.
It was learnt that by the first week of
December when the picture would have
become clear on whether they would get
return tickets or not, the PDP lawmakers
“will begin to come out in their true colours.”
A third source, who spoke with our
correspondent in Abuja said, “After the
primaries, you will see surprises. Many PDP
members in the House are as angry as their
APC colleagues.
“They have only two weeks to decide on
many issues.
“By December, those saying that there will
be no two-thirds will be surprised.”
When contacted, the APC caucus told our
correspondent that its members were not
retreating on the issue.
One of the front-liners in the collection of
signatures, Mr. Ahmad Ali, claimed that
more members had signed up since the first
set of 113 began on Thursday.
Ali, who is the Chairman, House Committee
on Justice, said,”In the House, the collection
of signatures is gaining traction.
“I cannot tell you the exact number now.”
House Minority Leader, Mr. Femi
Gbajabiamila, also said that the
“impeachment is on course.”
“PDP people have plans, we have plans. We
are all planning,” he said.
Copyright PUNCH.

Shey impeachment na pikin play ni. Selfish legislators threatening what they don't even know the implication of.

lol i laf......tot some people said APC was powerless
in as much they have there fault
they are what PDP really needs to set up

jumpampass