Aside its running battle with the Senate over continued stay of Ibrahim Magu as the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Presidency is said to have uncovered three other bases upon which the upper legislative chamber is purportedly plotting to impeach the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
Quoting a reliable source in the Presidency, The Nation reports that, “Intelligence report revealed that some senators have identified four issues to take the Presidency on.
“These issues are insistence on the removal of Magu; the renewal of the row between the chamber and the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Col. Hamid Ali(rtd); the alleged denigrating comments of the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay and alleged constitutional breaches by the Acting President and the Presidency in general.
“Although the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, told the party leadership that the impeachment kite caught him unawares and he swiftly overruled the senators behind it, intelligence report indicated that “it was a kite flying agenda” by some senators.
“The government does not wholly believe the defence of the Senate leadership. It is closely monitoring events and putting safety valves in place, including legal dimension.
“Part of the intelligence report showed that some senators had plotted the impeachment script before the Tuesday session.
“Those who tabled the motion were actually not aware that the Acting President had returned to the country.”
Meanwhile, the newspaper also revealed that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki on Thursday night held a secret meeting with Osinbajo, during which they had a frank conversation on “some developments that occurred in the Senate during the week, including the suspension of consideration of further nominations by the Executive in protest against the retention of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, and the consequent threats of impeachment by some Senators.”
A source was quoted as saying further, “The Senate President met with the Acting President. He actually came alone and without the paraphernalia of his office to underscore his commitment to rapprochement between the Executive and the National Assembly.
“Saraki took time to explain a few things to the Acting President, but the talks bordered on the clarification of a few misgivings, especially the rumour that he was planning to become the Acting President or instigating the Senate against the Presidency.
“He also took time to explain why the Senate wanted its resolutions respected in line with the principle of separation of powers.
“Above all, the session was actually frank.”