There were indications yesterday that the Presidency had uncovered four planks on which the Senate is hanging its threats of impeachmen against the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
One of them is the running battle between the Presidency and the Senate over continued stay of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, in office, The Nation Newspaper reports
According to The Nation, a reliable Presidency source said: “Intelligence report revealed that some senators have identified four issues to take the Presidency on.
“These issues are insistence on the removal of Magu; the renewal of the row between the chamber and the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Col. Hamid Ali(rtd); the alleged denigrating comments of the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption(PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay and alleged constitutional breaches by the Acting President and the Presidency in general.
“Although the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, told the party leadership that the impeachment kite caught him unawares and he swiftly overruled the senators behind it, intelligence report indicated that “it was a kite flying agenda” by some senators.
“The government does not wholly believe the defence of the Senate leadership. It is closely monitoring events and putting safety valves in place, including legal dimension.
“Part of the intelligence report showed that some senators had plotted the impeachment script before the Tuesday session.
“Those who tabled the motion were actually not aware that the Acting President had returned to the country.”
It was learnt at press time yesterday that some past leaders (names withheld) had teamed up with the Acting President against the threats from the Senate.
“These leaders have told the Acting President to remain focused and ignore elements trying to cause political upheaval in the country.
“In fact, they assured Osinbajo of their support. These are leaders who the government thought had identified with the Senate.”
The tone for the impeachment process was set by two issues raised on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday.
The Senate had on Tuesday taken exception to the retention of the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, and the Executive’s alleged non-compliance with the resolutions of the Senate.
The President of the Senate had said: “This is an issue that we have to once and for all address. We cannot pass laws and see that the laws are not being obeyed. This resolution must be obeyed by the Acting President, otherwise we will take appropriate actions and resolutions.”
On the same day, Senators Eyinanya Abaribe and Kabiru Marafa had under Point of Order asked the Senate President to become Acting President in the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Acting President, who was away for AU meeting in Addis Ababa.
Marafa said: “If the President is not around, the Vice President should act, and if the Vice President is not around, the Senate President, who is the number 3 citizen should become Acting President.”
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