The alleged plot to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan is not true, according to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

Abaribe, while responding to inquiries on the authenticity of the alleged impeachment plot, simply responded to the text message sent by Sunday Mirror that, “No, not to my knowledge such plot.”

Findings showed that the rumour was originated by a few senators whose quest to return to the Senate is under serious threat after the recent nationwide Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward congresses, and therefore sees the impeachment threat as a tool to blackmail and threaten the President to come to their aid.

It was reported that 63 senators have signed up to support the impeachment of the President.

The report also alleged that the group has commenced the compilation of the President’s impeachable offences.

But one of the ranking senators from the North Central zone of the country who spoke to Sunday Mirror under condition of anonymity questioned what the President did to warrant the reported impeachment by the parliament.

He said the Senate is made up of experienced and matured members who do not act in unserious and irresponsible manner as to be associated with such frivolous acts.

The lawmaker's words: “The Senate is known to be a very serious arm of the National Assembly. The men and women we have there are people of unquestionable integrity. The senators do not act irresponsibly and therefore cannot be associated with such a baseless rumour. The Senate has always acted as a mediating institution to stabilise the polity and not create unnecessary political tensions.

“If the Senate has any grievance they think the President can resolve, they take such a matter to him, as has been the case in the past.

“We do not act irresponsibly. That is why Mr. President has a lot of respect and regard for us. When some of us had issues with our state governors recently, we went to Mr. President and he addressed it to our satisfaction.”

The lawmaker wondered what has happened between then and now to warrant such an “unfounded and baseless,” rumour of impeachment.

He remarked that “if you read the reports, they bear similar style and content, showing that somebody must have gathered a few reporters and dictated to them what to write and they went about it without applying discretion.”

•Adapted from a Sunday Mirror report. Photo shows Senate Spokesman Abaribe.

Update news