The political party, on Sunday, in a statement, signed by its interim National Publicity Secretary, Mr Lai Mohammed, called on the National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against Jonathan over an alleged gross misconduct.
A statement from the presidency described the impeachment call as an “opportunistic, partisan and ill-motivated statement beyond the bounds of honourable and acceptable political conduct.
“The emptiness and hollowness of the APC’s call for President Jonathan’s impeachment will be obvious to all objective and discerning Nigerians who read through the statement issued by Mr Mohammed today. It was long on self-serving rhetoric and falsehoods, but lacked a single clearly defined charge on the basis of which any plausible impeachment proceedings against the President can be initiated.
“The APC, which remains a minority party with doubtful credentials in the National Assembly, knows fully well that its attempt to hector and blackmail a Parliament dominated by loyal members of the President’s party, the PDP, into an impeachment process, will come to nothing,” the statement issued by the government’s spokesman, Reuben Abati read.
It also accused the political party of desperation to seize control of the Federal Government by recklessly assailing the integrity and honour of the Nigerian Judiciary in a callous attempt to pre-empt the outcome of the case legitimately brought against it and some of its new friends by the PDP.
“We have noted the undisguised threat by the APC to foster public insurrection against the Federal Government if pending legal cases go against it. We urge Nigerians to take special note of this boastful indication of an intention to resort to lawlessness,” it further stated.
The Presidency also warned that the APC and any persons used for the breach of public order and safety would be made to face the full sanctions of the law.
“Those who are threatening fire and brimstone should be ready for consequences of treasonable action,” the statement warned.
The APC had cited former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to Jonathan last week that had generated reactions, alleging that the presidency is training 1,000 snipers.
According to the statement, the presidency called on those alleging the existence of snipers to “come forward and provide the evidence or shut up forever and go down in history as spineless cowards, driven by sheer greed and indecency”.
