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Impeachment threat on Buhari joke taken too far -APC
By Muideen Olaniyi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as ‘laughable’ a plan by some senators to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the Tuesday’s meeting where the stage for the process was allegedly set as “a huge joke taken too far”.
The party, in a statement issued yesterday, by its National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, advised the senators in question to concentrate on their primary constitutional responsibilities of lawmaking and discharging legislative mandates to their constituents at the National Assembly.
The party also advised the senators not to allow “political shenanigans” becloud overall national interest.
The APC said it would not to join issues on the Senate forgery suit and other court cases concerning some members of the 8th Senate because it will be sub judice.
It further advised the senators to tow the same line, and allow judicial process run its normal and legitimate course.
“Repeated allegations that the court cases are politically-motivated by the President and the APC are baseless. The President Muhammadu Buhari administration strictly respects the principle of the rule of law and also adheres to the constitutional provisions of separation of powers between the three arms of government.
“The APC urges Mr. President and the entire cabinet to remain focused in its effort to deliver on election promises and to steer the nation to its deserved heights,” the statement said.
Gov tussle: Lawyer wants Abia’s allocations stopped
By John Chuks Azu
An Abuja-based lawyer, Darlington Ozurumba, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain relevant authorities from releasing federal allocation and other funding for Abia State pending the resolution of the governorship crisis in the state.
In an originating summons by his counsel, Anti Val Igboanusi, Ozurumba is contending that under sections 176 and 162 (6) of the 1999 Constitution, “the Abia State joint account with local government areas for the Federation Account cannot be validly operated in the absence of a constitutionally recognized governor or chief executive officer.”
Joined in the suit are the minister of Finance, the Accountant General of the Federation, the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the Attorney General of the Federation.
The applicant wants the court to restrain the respondents from making further releases of monthly allocation from the Federation Account to Abia State pending the time a valid and lawfully recognized governor of Abia State is in office.
Justice Okon Abang had on June 27 removed Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for including false tax certificate information in his INEC form for the December 8, 2014 primary of the PDP and ordered the electoral empire to issue fresh certificate of return to Uchechukwu Ogah, who came second in the primary.
However, Ikpeazu appealed the judgment at the Appeal Court in Abuja and filed a stay of execution before Justice Abang.
No date has been fixed for hearing.
North-west PDP leaders back Makarfi
By Saawua Terzungwe
Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the seven states in the North-west have declared their support for the Senator Makarfi-led national caretaker committee, saying he holds the key to repositioning the party.
Speaking on behalf of party chieftains from the zone, Ambassador Ibrahim Musa Kazaure said: “The purpose of this visit is to declare the total support of the entire PDP North-west zone to your committee. We are behind you, and hereby identify with your leadership as the only option to save the PDP.
“We hope and pray for Allah’s guidance and support for you in the discharge of this important assignment of repositioning the PDP,” he said.
Responding, Makarfi assured them that his committee would discharge its duty to the satisfaction of members, adding that on the legal front, the PDP’s convention in Port Harcourt, held on May 21, which produced the caretaker committee, was upheld by the courts.