House PDP Group Kicks against Alleged Plot to Impeach Dogara

James Emejo in Abuja

The Parliamentary Democrats Group (PDG) in the House of Representatives Thursday kicked against an alleged plot to impeach the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus in the lower chamber against distracting lawmakers from performing their legislative functions with their 2019 ambitions.

Spokesman for the group, Hon. Timothy Golu (PDP, Plateau), said his group has watched with apprehension, the series of accusations and counter-accusations of support groups among the APC caucus which have the potential to derail the legislative performance of the lawmakers in the lower chamber.

He cautioned the APC lawmakers in a statement issued Thursday against the idea of impeaching Dogara, adding that it would be resisted.

There are allegations that lawmakers from the ruling party within the green chamber are plotting to impeach Dogara when the National Assembly resumes from its long recess in September.

The plot was alleged to have been spearheaded by a principal officer of the House, who is alleged to be facing similar impeachment threat from his aggrieved party colleagues.

But Golu said: “We believe it is the aftermath of the gale of defections that had hit the party in recent times, of which more is being expected. In as much as we will not delve into their personal caucus matters.

“However any issue that concerns the larger House will not cease to get our attention, especially the accusation by one group that another group is contemplating the impeachment of the Speaker.”

Golu, who chairs the House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research, also cautioned that all the discussions about impeaching Dogara should start and end at the APC secretariat or the secretariat.

“We are keeping our eyes and ears wide open for any such eventuality and to restate our readiness to return fire for fire on anyone thinking of it.

“If they claim that someone is thinking of becoming Speaker in 2019 when the tenure has not ended, it will not be out of place to suspect such motives especially when the same people have been talking strongly on the urgent need to address critical legislative issues,” he said.

Golu added that Dogara is on top of his job and has been doing excellently well, “respecting his colleagues and leading with the fear of God and in accordance with the constitution and our House rules”.

“He has performed very well in providing the expected legislative leadership. If anyone is thinking of replacing him even when this tenure is not yet ended, then it means a lot may be happening underground.

“We call on our colleagues leading the various splinter groups in the APC to allow the house go on smoothly until June 9, 2019.

“We do not want the externally- influenced distraction taking place in the red chamber where some anti-democratic forces want to truncate democracy to happen in the house. As true democrats, we are at alert, keeping vigilance and monitoring happenings with eagle eye wherever they are,” he said.