Ortom: PDP Reps threaten not to approve Buhari’s virement, supplementary budget
…Say impeachment notice illegal
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives caucus on Monday vowed that it will thwart the approval of the virement and supplementary budget for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when the House reconvenes over the impeachment notice issued Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State by eight All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers.
Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Chukwuma Onyema, who issued the threat at a press briefing, said that the impeachment notice by the eight Benue State House of Assembly members was illegal, unconstitutional and an exercise in futility.
Rep. Onyema declared that the Benue APC lawmakers have no legal authority to serve the impeachment notice on the state governor.
He warned that “if the impeachment notice by the renegade lawmakers assisted by the APC Federal Government is not stopped, even if the House reconvenes, we’ll not approve the virement request and we’ll make sure we don’t form a quorum.
“If they (APC Federal Government) can begin to remove our governors, then we’ll not sit and do their jobs. We’re taking it fire for fire”.
Accusing the Buhari administration of exhibiting dictatorial tendencies, the caucus condemned the use of the police and the military to aid the eight Benue House members achieve their nefarious action.
“This is a government that came into office with the slogan of progressivism and change, but in reaction to Governor Ortom’s defection from the ruling APC to the PDP, policemen and soldiers took over the state house of assembly complex.
“And an impeached speaker of the 30-memer House who had been suspended for six months for unparliamentary behaviour presided over a mockery of the rule of law and democracy,” the caucus added.
Rep. Onyema described the action of preventing the 22 pro-Ortom House members by the security agencies as ignoble.
He stated that constitutionally, at least 20 members of the assembly must sit to form a quorum before they can perform any legislative function considered legal.
