The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown its weight behind its caucus leader in the House of Representatives, Hon. Kingsley over his call for President Muhammadu Buhari to be impeached.
PDP equally warned the leadership of the House against threatening the lawmaker for “making a legitimate, valid and patriotic call for the Impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari over his failure to secure our nation.”
Chinda, who had earlier made the call on December 7 after 43 rice farmers were killed in Borno, reiterated it after over 300 students were kidnapped in Kankara, Katsina State.
However, speaking at plenary on Monday, House Majority Leader, Ado Doguwa, said that the PDP lawmaker’s impeachment call was responsible for the president’s decision to shun the House’s invitation.
He added that Chinda’s position was not the general consensus of the House nor that of the PDP caucus.
Doguwa added that the PDP lawmaker would face disciplinary action for the impeachment call.
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Reacting, PDP said, “For the avoidance of doubts, Hon. Chinda is the leader of the PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives and his call is not only constitutional but also aptly represents the opinion of our caucus, our party, the PDP, as well as the generality of Nigerians, including those who have fallen victim of President Buhari’s ineptitude to secure our nation.
“This threat to Hon. Chinda is therefore a direct signal that the current leadership of the House of Representative is not on the side of the people but has been cowed to relinquish its statutory legislative powers for selfish reasons.
“It is indeed shameful that the leadership of the House of Representative has reduced itself to the mouthpiece of the Buhari Presidency whose duty it is to make wishful allegations against Hon. Chinda.
“It is disgraceful for the House of Representatives to blame its own members for the blunt refusal of Mr. President’s to honor a statutory invitation by Nigerians through their elected representatives to address them on the heightened insecurity across our nation under his watch.
“If the claims by the House leadership that President Buhari failed to honour the invitation because Hon. Chinda called for his impeachment is really the case, then the nation indeed lacks a leader worth his billing.
“This is because instead of stopping President Buhari, the Chinda’s call ought to have spurred him to appear before the House and explain to Nigerians why killings, kidnapping and other acts of terrorism and banditry had escalated under his watch.
“If indeed, Mr. President could be scared from the National Assembly just because Hon. Chinda called for his impeachment, how then would he muster the courage to combat terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.
“Our party holds that the claim by the House leadership thus vindicates Hon. Chinda and validates the call for Mr. President’s impeachment.
“The PDP therefore charges the leadership of House to retrace its steps and redeem its image by rescheduling Mr. President to appear before the House instead of this lame excuse.”