The “New PDP”, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Abubakar Baraje has cautioned the Presidency over attempts to bribe each member of the House of Representatives with a sum of N2.5 million in US Dollars as part of the plot “to win the war” in the on-going crises within the party.
In a statement from the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze it warned that Mr. President Goodluck Jonathan should desist from such an act which could “plunge the country into avoidable chaos”.
The group alleged that the plot is aimed at helping to put Jonathan in good light for a massive support from the lawmakers to aid his reelection in the forthcoming 2015 presidential poll.
It read in parts: “Information reaching us indicates that the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur faction of the PDP working in concert with some Presidency officials have set about to induce members of the House of Representatives with a view to passing a vote of confidence on President Jonathan and impeaching their principal officers.
“Part of their strategy is to place advertisements in major national newspapers in the country starting from next week, praising a non-performing Presidency to the high heavens so as to water the ground for President Jonathan’s expected declaration for the 2015 presidential contest. Each member is expected to receive 25,000 USD (about N2.5M) to sign the advertorial endorsing the President.
“The plan is to commence the impeachment of principal officers of the House after the publication of these adverts. We are aware of the identities of those involved in this shady business being coordinated by an influential member of the discredited Tukur faction from the Southern part of the country.”
The group added that poverty was ravaging the country and students were at home because of the refusal of the Federal Government to keep the agreement it reached with the Academic Staff Union of Universities since 2009.
“Passing a Vote of Confidence on President Jonathan and celebrating him in the papers as these undemocratic elements plan to do is not only insensitive but also amounts to celebrating the death traps called federal roads and celebrating darkness after the billions of naira squandered on a non-functional power sector,” it added.
It said that the plot was to make the House pass a vote of confidence on the President and impeachment of Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, and some other principal officers for their alleged sympathy for the Baraje-led PDP.
“We urge our members all over the world to continue with fasting and prayers as we collectively seek God’s face on how to resolve the orchestrated crisis in our great party and thus minimize the heavy toll which it is taking on the Jonathan Administration”, Baraje’ group advised.
However, no reactions have been received from both the presidency’s camp and the House of Representatives’ members since the allegation came to the fore yesterday.