Senator representing Abia Uche? Chukwumerije (PDP, Abia) yesterday said that the true meaning and intent of his signature gathering effort was grossly distorted in news reports, and said that it was not true that he was gathering signatures to commence impeachment motion of President Goodluck Jonathan
He however, said that what he meant was that he was collecting signatures to co-sponsor a motion to get the Presidency to act on the Privatization Report and not signatures for impeachment notice.
Senator Chukwumerije was quoted to have said on the senate floor that he is collecting signatures to move an impeachment motion against President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a statement in Abuja yesterday, the lawmaker declared that collection of signature is not impeachment notice.
The statement read in part; “The predictably sensational report about imaginary plan to impeach President was a gross distortion of the meaning of my short presentation in the Senate Chambers.
“In my short speech which focused on the inexplicable delay by the Presidency in taking action on the findings of Senate report on Privatization.
“I emphatically declared that I along with others was resolved to ensure that the corrective and redemptive measures prescribed in the Report were implemented to save Nigeria from this sad pattern of massive flow of public funds to private pockets under the guise of privatization and in consolidation of the foundation of primitive accumulation of capital, which is Nigeria’s brand of capitalism.
“In pursuit of this determination, I said that I was collecting signatures to co-sponsor a motion to get the Presidency to act on the Privatization Report. Collection of signature is not impeachment notice”.
“The press reports that I was leading a move to impeach President Jonathan are untrue and a gross misrepresentation of aspects of my brief speech in Senate last Thursday.?
“My speech referred to mobilisation of colleagues to co-sponsor a motion urging early implementation of the recommendations of the Senate Committee on Privatization. This is a routine Senate procedure for a motion that should carry the full weight of the Chambers. The delay in implementing the Ahmed Lawan Privatization Report, which exposed in clinical details, the massive siphoning of public funds to private hands demands such a robust remedial action. This move is certainly not a mobilization for impeachment.??
“The mention of impeachment at the tail end of the speech is a reminder of the ultimate weapon of Parliament sign-posting, like a sword of Damocles, the distant reaches of elastic public goodwill. It is definitely not a move, immediate or long-term, against Jonathan regime”, he added.??
It could be recalled that Chuwkumerije was variously quoted to have offered to lead the motion on the impeachment if nothing is done to curb rising corruption in Nigeria, which he blamed on none implementation of National Assembly’s resolution prescribing punishment for indicted public office holders.
?