PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday
told senators behind the Jonathan-Must-Go impeachment project that there
were issues of national importance that needed their attention rather
than the plot against him.
Jonathan’s advice was contained in a
reaction by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin
Okupe, who fired back at the senators said to be compiling signatures
and impeachable offences against the President.
“It is our view that there are at
present, serious fundamental issues of national importance such as
winning the war against terrorism and stabilising the economy in the
face of dwindling oil revenue which require the full attention,
commitment and swift action of distinguished members of the Senate,”
Okupe said.
Arrowheads of the impeachment plot
against Jonathan in the Senate on Tuesday told journalists in Abuja that
65 senators had already signed to remove the President and that they
would formally present a request to commence the impeachment proceedings
on December 16.
The senators said they would have tabled
their request this week but for the adjournment in the Senate. The upper
federal legislative chamber had suspended plenary till December 16 for
members to participate in the ongoing primaries of the parties.
Okupe’s full statement read, “The Senate
in the last four years has conducted its legislative functions and
responded to issues that are of great national importance with
commendable political sagacity.
“In this same period, the Senate has
functioned as a stabilising force within the polity employing much
political maturity that is required to guide and protect our nascent
democracy.
“However, confrontation and strong disagreements are not uncommon phenomenon in Executive-Legislative relationship world-wide.
“The recent purported attempt by some
senators to prepare impeachable offences against the President, as
reported in some section of the media, is seen by us in this light.
“We strongly trust and believe in the
leadership of the present Senate and the unwavering patriotism and
commitment that have been shown by the distinguished members and we
trust that ultimately it is this tendency towards true nationalism that
will prevail in the Senate.
“It is our view that there are at
present, serious fundamental issues of national importance such as
winning the war against terrorism and stabilising the economy in the
face of dwindling oil revenue which require the full attention,
commitment and swift action of distinguished members of the Senate.
“We are of the opinion that all matters
political can and will be resolved politically in the overall interest
of our democracy and the wellbeing of our people.”
One of the arrowheads of the impeachment
move in the Senate, Senator Alkali Jajere, had told journalists on
Tuesday that there was no going back on the project.
He had said, “As of today, the required
signatures to initiate the impeachment process had been obtained. The
Senate has adjourned to December 16, so by that date the impeachment
motion will be presented on the floor of the Senate.
“As of last week, 63 of us had signed up
for the impeachment; my signature was the fourth but I can confirm to
you that we have 63 signatures but after the session today two people
had called and told me that they want to sign.
“One of them is an All Progressives
Congress senator who was away doing campaign because he is contesting
the governorship election of his state. The other person is a Peoples
Democratic Party senator.
“Before the end of today I can assure you
that the list will swell up to 70. It is on the impeachment day that we
need two-thirds of the members to carry out the exercise but we need
only one-third, which we already have, to initiate the process. It is
just a matter of one day sitting. We will just push it before the two
chambers.”
Jajere said he signed the impeachment
motion because of his conviction that there were impeachable offences
against Jonathan and that the process had been started early in the year
but was truncated.
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