By Hammeed M. Bello

A section of the media yesterday reported that the disagreement between President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar over a third term has prompted the presidency to sponsor impeachment moves against Atiku. It is the National Assembly that has the constitutional responsibility to impeach the vice president.
The chairman of the Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Abike Dabiri, who gave the position of the House when contacted, said the House as an institution, is not aware of the impeachment moves, neither is it aware of any offence by the vice president.
Hon. Dabiri said such moves are premature if it is following from the raid on Atiku’s house in the US by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
She said the report of investigations by the FBI must be awaited before insinuations are made. “And if there is such a move, what are the V.P’s offences?”
The chairman, Rules and Business Committee, Hon. Ita Enang (PDP, Akwa-Ibom State), said when contacted for comments, that he was not aware of the moves, not even as a rumour.
He said he only read about the differences in opinion between the president and his vice. “We should not blow it out of proportion because it would endanger democracy to even contemplate such a move.”
The Leader of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), in the House, Hon. Wunmi Bewaji, who is also chairman of the South West caucus, said it would be suicidal to contemplate such a move.
Bewaji who is a constitutional lawyer, based his argument on the fact that leadership of the country is a collective responsibility, adding that both Obasanjo and Atiku ran on the same ticket.
He said the presidency is indivisible and that the president himself only narrowly survived an impeachment move by the House of Representatives. He said the president has “zero level popularity,” alleging that no member can vouch for him.
He said however that if the vice president be impeached, the president will be impeached in the process.
“If anybody brings any register for the impeachment of Atiku, we will simply replace wherever Atiku appears with Obasanjo,” Bewaji said.
When contacted, Hon. Bala Na’allah (ANPP, Kebbi), said it was not in his character to get involved when two big men are fighting. He said he would only pray for the country.
He however said that just as Obasanjo could not be impeached by the National Assembly, “I don’t think parliament will entertain the impeachment of anybody. All we will do is to ensure a smooth transition in 2007.”
Daily Trust checks show that members held different caucus meetings yesterday just after the House rose from sittings at about 12 p.m.
Meanwhile, Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State, said in Ilorin yesterday, that he was hopeful President Obasanjo and his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, would put the country above them and resolve their differences.
Fielding questions from newsmen after receiving Glo Mobile phone business beneficiaries on a thank you visit to Government House, governor Saraki said, “I am sure at the end of the day, they will be able to resolve their differences and ensure that it does not in anyway, go beyond what it is now.”
According to the governor, “there is need for concern but I think as mature leaders who have constitutional responsibilities, they will also ensure that despite all these issues, the country they have sworn to protect would be protected.”
Governor Saraki said, “when people have been together for so long, worked together for six years, in the same party and government, there are bound to be issues here and there but I am sure they will be able to resolve their differences.”