Naija News

The House of Representatives
yesterday reminded President
Goodluck Jonathan that it
was its resolution on February
9, 2010 that made him acting
president of the Federal
republic.
Deputy chairman House
committee on Media and Public
Affairs Rep Victor Ogene (APGA,
Anambra) said this while
briefing newsmen at National
Assembly yesterday on the
refusal of the President to obey
their resolution of last Sunday’s
special emergency session in
which the House passed a
resolution urging the federal
government to restore fuel
subsidy.
Ogene said “Abati’s description
of the resolution of the House
of Representatives as a mere
expression of opinion is childish,
unfortunate, unprofessional and
lacking in judgment by a
presidential spokesman,
especially since it is now public
knowledge that his boss,
President Jonathan was made
acting President by a resolution
of the National Assembly which
he readily accepted in a
broadcast to the nation.
“Ironically, the President on the
same Sunday after Church
Service launched the Federal
Mass Transit Scheme. Ironically
too, the Petroleum Products
Pricing and Regulatory Agency,
PPPRA, removed the
contentious fuel subsidy on
Sunday January 1, 2012.
“The state of emergency in
some parts of the country was
declared by the President on
Saturday December 31, 2012, a
day of worship for a section of
some Christians. The President
also sent the declaration of
State of Emergency document
to the National Assembly on a
Saturday to take advantage of
the planned sitting of the
House of Representatives the
next day on a Sunday.”
He said the House is authorised
by its Standing Orders to meet
on any day including Sundays
as the situation demands.
The House, according to Ogene,
will invoke its appropriation
powers and insert subsidy funds
in the 2012 budget if the
president refused to respect its
resolution.
Meanwhile, some members of
the House of Representatives
yesterday moved against
President Goodluck Jonathan
over his refusal to obey their
resolution directing to restore
subsidy on petroleum products.
Daily Trust also heard in Abuja
yesterday that the MPs moved
to oust House Leader Rep
Mulikat Adeola-Akande (PDP,
Oyo) over her “attempt to
scuttle” the emergency session
held last Sunday.
Sources in the green chamber
said the legislators went as far
as collecting signatures towards
opening an impeachment
process against the president
and the House leader.
“We have collected more than
60 signatures and through the
week we will work to get at
least 1/3 of members so that by
Tuesday the motion would be
presented,” a member said.
But a principal officer said, “In
the morning, impeachment
topic was the popular opinion in
the chamber but as for the
Mulikat issue I think they might
have suspended it for now.”
When contacted, the Deputy
Chairman of the House
Committee on Media and Public
Affairs, Rep Victor Ogene
(APGA, Anambra) confirmed the
development however, stated
that the move had been halted
by the leadership of the House.
He said the impeachment of
the President was no longer on
the card as the House was more
concerned with addressing the
subsidy issue.