Alhaji Bamanga Tukur

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today officially make known the party’s position on the threat of the House of Representatives to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan for non-implementation of the 2012 Appropriation Act.

Also, the party has resolved to meet the House of Representatives caucus as one of the ways of addressing the frosty relationship between the House and the Presidency.

The party said through its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh that the Deputy National Chairman of the party, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja will address a press conference today on the threat of the House to impeach the President.

According to Metuh, the press briefing will take place at the National Secretariat of the party by 12noon.
This was outcome of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, which lasted for more than five hours.
THISDAY gathered the PDP NWC at their meeting deliberated on the implication of the frosty relationship between the House dominated by the party and President Jonathan, also produced by the party.

According to a member of the PDP NWC that spoke to THISDAY, “our intervention should not be seen as interfering with the affairs of the House, but, the party that has more than 240 out of 360 members cannot keep quite when the vocal opposition members are trying to distract the smooth running of governance.

“Apart from the decision to address the press to state our position, the NWC have concluded plans to meet with the PDP caucus of the House to ensure that there is smooth working relationship between the House and the Presidency.

“At least, the majority of the members of the House are PDP members and the same PDP produced the President, so, our position is that there should be a smooth working relationship.

Meanwhile, just like Nasarawa State where crisis is rocking the party, the Taraba State chapter has taken a new twist as a N500 million libel suit has been slammed on six members of the National Assembly by Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan.

Senators Alhassan (Taraba North) and Abubakar Tutare (Taraba Central) have been at loggerheads with Governor Danbaba Suntai over the outcome of the last congresses in the state, insisting that PDP must hold fresh congresses as recommended by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Since the outcome of the Taraba congress was made public, the state chapter of the party has been split into two with aggrieved members who were denied participation in the country pitching tent with the Senators Alhassan and Tutare.

The subsequent media war between supporters of Governor Suntai led by Senator Emmanuel Bwacha and the aggrieved group culminated in paid advertisement in one Abuja based newspaper which has given rise to the libel suit against signatories of the advert.

In the suit number FCT/HC/CV/13987/2012 filed at the FCT High Court, Apo, Senator Aisha Alhassan is asking for N500 million damages for libel against Leadership newspapers, Senator Bwacha and five members of the House of Representatives.