Northern members of the House of Representatives threaten violence, killings should Jega be removed

In what appeared to be a theater of the absurd, members of the House of Representatives from the North, backed by a few opposition members threatened violence and deaths should Professor Attahiru Jega be removed before the election in line with the public service rules.

According to them, the nature of violence in 2011 would repeat itself and President Jonathan and his administration will be held liable for such reaction.

The position of the House was hatched after Northern lawmakers held meetings with the Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and other APC lawmakers.

The position of the House was taken following a motion moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Justice, Ali Ahmad.

As planned, Speaker Tambuwal brushed aside queries raised by the deputy leader of the House, Mr Leo Ogor on the inappropriateness of the motion. Tambuwal took a voice vote and passed a motion blackmailing and threatening Nigeria with violence.

The development came as the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, at a separate session, raised the alarm that the dark days of military coups might return if the country continued to progress in error.

During Tuesday’s plenary, lawmakers also warned that “persons” whose actions would have led to such violence must be held accountable at all judicial levels.

Part of their resolution read, “Hold personally accountable at domestic judicial forum or at the International Court of Justice, any persons or organisations that foist on INEC any decision or action whatsoever, including unconstitutional attempt to remove the current INEC chairman, that has the effect of making it impracticable for elections to hold on 28th March and 11th April, 2015.”

Besides, members made it clear that removing the INEC chairman would be unconstitutional except if it secured the approval of two-thirds of the Senate, as prescribed in Section. 157(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

“Such removal can only be achieved when two things happen, viz, (a) his inability to discharge the functions of the office, or (b) for misconduct, as determined by two-thirds of the Senate,” the resolution added..

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