2015 Poll: Presidency Nurses Impeachment Fears by Lawmakers

Barely 48 hours after a free-for-all ensued at the National Assembly, following the visit of the splinter Peoples Democratic Party, indications emerged last night that the Presidency was jittery over the implications of the lawmakers’ action.

Sources close to the Presidency hinted that its strategists were worried that the lawmakers could easily effect a change in the leadership of the national legislature and get at President Goodluck Jonathan.

One source, who spoke in confidence, said that Jonathan and his advisers were not taking the development in the National Assembly lightly and had, therefore, mobilised for the support of most members.

The source said that the President had been shown intelligence report indicating that most of the members could support impeachment move against him once the leadership of the Assembly was changed.

It was learnt that the Presidency and it minders were more worried about the leadership of the House of Representatives, which appears to harbour more ‘opposition’ members than the Senate.

According to informed sources, the Presidency was more perturbed about the emergence of the Abubakar Baraje-led PDP from the mainstream PDP, whose members seem to enjoy a good rapport with the opposition members of APC in House of Assembly.

The source said: “What happened yesterday (Tuesday) on the floor of the House of Representatives, when the leadership, led by the Speaker, allowed the splinter PDP a free reign to address the House, is an indication that the rebel group is aligning with the opposition to work against the President and the leadership of PDP.

“If this is not checked immediately, they can wake up one morning and move against the President.”