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Impeachment threat against Gbajabiamila, a joke taken too far —Group

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The purported underground moves for the impeachment of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has been described as a joke taken too far by a pro-democracy group.

The group, Legislative Watchdog, said though it viewed the news report by an online news medium as a joke, it nevertheless felt there was a need to urgently put the joke to the abrupt end it deserves.

According to the group, in a statement on Tuesday by its spokesman, Olawale Adebayo, the news report was nothing but kite flying by those it described as enemies of progress, who are only after their selfish interests.

According to the group, reasons given in the report for the purported impeachment plot, are not only preposterous but equally childish.

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“It is not just preposterous but childish for the proponents of the kite flying report to anchor the so-called impeachment plot on assumed high-handedness of the respected Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila or alleged disrespect for the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal.

“For those who are close to the House over which Gbajabiamila presides, from our findings and close interactions with members, the Speaker is no doubt one of the most democratic and fair minded persons to preside over the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

“It is on record that Speaker Gbajabiamila, against what others in the ruling party may want, accorded members of opposition parties more than enough recognition almost as equal partners in the legislative house, through membership and leadership of committees, assigning sensitive committees to them.

“Similarly, a thorough following of proceedings at the chamber will also reveal that Gbajabiamila has always accorded members of the opposition the right to have their say, even though the majority may always, as expected in any democratic setting, have their way.

“How more democratic would any sane person expect the Speaker to be. How even more laughable is the allegation of dictatorial tendency be in connection with the aborted plan for members to donate their one month salaries to the fight against COVID-19?

Speaking further on the alleged disrespect for Governor Tambuwal, the group wondered when a position of the entire House as enunciated by the Charman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu amounted to disrespect for the former Speaker.

“Allegation of disrespect for Governor Tambuwal is laughable. How does the position of the entire House become the personal opinion or position of Gbajabiamila? How does a request for the exclusion of the Sokoto State Governor from a committee put in place by the Nigeria Governors Forum to interface with the House on the Infectious Diseases Bill 2020 become a ground for impeachment?

“In our estimation, the concocted allegations are only attempts by the proponents of the phantom impeachment to window shop for grounds to whip up sentiments against the Speaker. This, we say, have failed even before take off, as conscientious Nigerians can see through their woefully concocted lies”, the group said.

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