APC Blasts Nasarawa Legislators Over Moves To Revisit Al-Makura’s Impeachment

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News, Politics Monday, August 18th, 2014

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the renewed plan by the Nasarawa State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, accusing them of desperate move to upturn the Constitution to satisfy their political and personal interest.

Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura

In a statement issued in Ilorin on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it would amount to an illegality for the lawmakers to draft a pliant Vacation Judge, as alleged, to constitute an independent panel to probe the alleged 16 point allegations against the embattled Governor which he had already been absolved by the Yusuf Usman – led investigative panel two weeks ago.

APC which observed that it was only the state Chief Judge who has constitutional right to set up such panel, after a request from the State House of Assembly’s Speaker, noted that any attempt to draft a Vacation Judge to constitute another panel would to amount to working against the “spirit and letter of the same Constitution that gave the legislature the impeachment power…”

The opposition APC insisted that Governor Al-Makura could not be impeached on the basis of the same allegations, he had been exonerated, contending if this must be done, the accused must be charged with fresh offences, yet, with appropriate notice, after making their intention known to the state’s Chief Jurist.

”This is the only reason why the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, from Nasarawa State could be goading the state legislature to disregard the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in its avowed determination to remove the Governor, for no reason other than he belongs to the opposition. The Minister is well aware that he is functioning in an atmosphere that encourages impunity, and that the President will not sanction him for encouraging illegality.

”It is also as clear as daylight that the kind of money being dangled at the lawmakers to impeach Governor Al-Makura at all costs could only have come from a deep purse or a war chest. With almost N 30 million and other perks being reportedly offered to each lawmaker just to take out an opposition Governor, it is clear in whose interest and at whose behest such is being done,” the party stressed.

Alhaji Mohammed observed in the statement that no other description to give the unfolding developments than “impunity” under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, citing alongside the impeachment saga, similar cases of former Rivers State Commissioner Of Police, Joseph Mbu and DSS Spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar.

APC therefore called on the finnciers of the state’s legislators to call them to order before they “precipitate a Constitutional crisis” in Nasararwa and do a grievous harm to the country’s democracy. It declared: “They (lawmakers) must give peace a chance”.