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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