APC rep says lawmakers ‘collecting signatures’ to impeach Osinbajo

Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima, a house of representatives member from Edo state, says some lawmakers are collecting signatures to impeach Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker failed to disclose those plotting Osinbajo’s removal but said it is over allegations of not following due process.

The lower legislative chamber had indicted the governing board of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) chaired by Osinbajo over “illegal approval of N5.8 billion north-east intervention fund.”

In its report, an ad-hoc committee set up to investigate alleged corruption at NEMA had said N5,865,671,939.26 was approved and released from the consolidated revenue fund account following Osinbajo’s approval without a go-ahead from the national assembly.

Osinbajo has since denied any wrongdoing in the approvals.

Addressing national assembly correspondents on Tuesday, Agbonnayima accused “disgruntled politicians” of being behind Osinbajo’s ordeal.

“Signatures are being collated for the impeachment of the vice-president, the reason being the outcome of the NEMA investigation,” the lawmaker said.

“There are political gladiators trying to heat up the polity. I enjoin them to do only those things that will promote unity and happiness of our great country.

“I urge all of us not to heat the polity as elections draw nearer. Our campaign must be driven by issues and not on vendetta politics. We are more united as a people with love and service to humanity.”

STEPS TO IMPEACHING A PRESIDENT OR VICE-PRESIDENT

According to section 143 of the constitution, the following steps are required to impeach the president or vice-president.

• A notice of an allegation in writing signed by not less than one-third of the members of the national assembly would be presented stating that the holder of the office of president or vice-president is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified.
• Within fourteen days of the presentation of the notice to the president of the senate (whether or not any statement was made by the holder of the office in reply to the allegation contained in the notice) each house of the national assembly shall resolve by motion without any debate whether or not the allegation shall be investigated.
• A motion of the National Assembly that the allegation be investigated shall not be declared as having been passed, unless it is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly.
• Within seven days of the passing of a motion under the foregoing provisions, the chief justice of Nigeria shall at the request of the president of the senate appoint a panel of seven persons who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity, not being members of any public service, legislative house or political party, to investigate the allegation as provide in this section.
• Where the report of the panel is that the allegation against the holder of the office has been proved, then within 14 days of the receipt of the report at the national assembly shall consider the report, and if by a resolution of each house of the national assembly supported by not less than two-thirds majority of all its members, the report of the panel is adopted, then the holder of the office shall stand removed from office as from the date of the adoption of the report.