Tambuwal loyalists move to impeach Ihedioha

                                 The defection of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has created a crack within the caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House as moves have commenced for the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha.

It was learnt yesterday night that the move by the lawmakers sympathetic to Tambuwal was borne out of Ihedioha’s alleged disloyalty to the Speaker, whom they said has been shielding him.

Tambuwal loyalists said they are poised to counter any moves aimed at removing the Speaker.

The loyal lawmakers that cut across the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP said the Deputy Speaker, Ihedioha, would be the first casualty, if the attempt to reconvene the plenary by Ihedioha ever succeeded.

According to a source, who pleaded anonymity, it was a suprise and alarming that the Deputy  Speaker would move to reconvene the House to pave way for the removal of Tambuwal at the prodding of the Presidency.

It was learnt last night that an impeachment motion against the Deputy Speaker is being drafted with many members signifying their interests to endorse the motion.

He said: “We are alarmed at moves by the Deputy Speaker to reconvene the House somewhere this week in order to remove the Speaker.

“Therefore, we have resolved that Ihedioha will be the first casualty if he dare reconvene the House because he has been surviving because of Tambuwal’s protection. Most PDP members from the north and all APC members are in support of removing him.

“He survived several moves to oust him because Tambuwal and some powerful northern members have been protecting him but now that he is being pushed to bite the very finger that is feeding him, his days as deputy speaker are numbered.

“Unlike Tambuwal, Ihedioha does not have any personal touch with members. But the Speaker has touch and contacts with all the 360 constituencies in the country.

“Former Deputy Speaker Bayero Nafada was not like Ihedioha, his was always filled with members. Even members from his zone of Southeast are with us in this project which makes it easy for us to get the 240 votes to impeach him,” the source who pleaded anonymity said.