The elevated noise decibel over the supposed impeachment threat leveled against the President of the federal republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan have been labeled a mere media creation by some principal officers of the National Assembly [NASS]. Information available to 247ureports.com through a principal source within the NASS indicates that the NASS in its official seating has not mentioned the word ‘impeachment’ or inferred impeachment.
One of the officers of the lower chamber of the NASS spoke to our correspondent on the telephone under the condition of anonymity. The source who is a principal officer of the NASS and an active participant of the events surrounding the inquiry into the low percentage budget implementation by the federal government – told our correspondent that the threat of impeachment was never originated by any NASS member or on the floor of the chambers. He stated that the motion presented on the floor of the NASS and amended by a legislator representing a constituency in Enugu State – did not mention or contain the threat of impeachment against the President of Nigeria. “It was a media creation”, stated the legislator who explained that the impeachment threat came about when a reporter ‘forcefully’ probed one of the legislators – on the consequences that will follow Mr. President should he not be about to reach the budget implementation target set by the NASS.
Our source noted that the reporter suggested to the lawmaker whether the threat of impeachment was among the available consequences that may befall the President should he fail to meet the deadline. The lawmaker was said to agree that the option of impeachment was always an option. To this, our source stated, led to the reporter’s report on the ongoing impeachment saga.
The source however admitted that the lower and upper chambers of the NASS, intentionally, chose to remain mute over the supposed impeachment move – because of the already soiled relationship between the executive branch and the legislative branch. “We chose to not make efforts to refute it”, said the source.
Some other sources within the membership of the lower NASS believe the impeachment threat to be real but they discounted the threat as weightless.
A source within the lower chamber of the NASS shared his unabridged view with 247ureports.com concerning the realness of the said impeachment threat. He spoke in the negative charging the members of the NASS as toothless. In his words, “this National Assembly can’t, because they aren’t serious people at all. Forget it, they won’t even try it”. Another member of the NASS also shared his view stating that “they are just bluffing, as soon as he releases their money, the threat would disappear…”
Meanwhile the Jonathan administration is reportedly not taking the threat lightly. Inside sources within Presidency reveals the liaison officer to the NASS, Senator Joy Emordi has been assigned the duty of ensuring that both houses of the NASS are duly pacified against the budget implementation target of September 18, 2012 set by the NASS. It remains unsure whether the former senator made any meaningful inroads.
