House of Rep over a plot to sack House leadership thickens

•Baraje lawmakers to join APC
From IHEANACHO NWOSU, Abuja
As the National Assembly resumes plenary today, fear has gripped principal officers of the House of Representatives over a plot to sack them. The moves are being spearheaded by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the House, loyal to the Alhaji Kawu Baraje faction. A total of 57 PDP Reps last week pledged their loyalty to the faction, otherwise aknown as ‘New PDP.’
The House is billed to resume tomorrow from its two-month recess after moves to shift the resumption failed at the weekend.
However, Baraje lawmakers have commenced discussion with the opposition members especially those in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a bid to finetune the sack plot. A lawmaker, who doesn’t want to be named, said that the PDP lawmakers are discussing how to defect to APC. He said the marriage, if consummated, may lead to the sacking of some principal officers to reflect the new structure in the chamber.
To this end, the lawmaker said the ‘New PDP’ members in the House would meet today to review the outcome of Sunday’s meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and the seven aggrieved governors.
He said, whether or not we remain in PDP would depend on our meeting today. Over 100 PDP members in the House will participate. We will consider the resolution of the meeting between Mr President, our governors and leaders”.
The lawmaker, who pleaded not to be quoted, said:”We are meeting to primarily set a new agenda for the Seventh Assembly using our large number which is within 95 to 125 Reps and 55 senators.
“We equally have the strong voices of 137 All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Green Chamber, who have vowed to support our cause without blinking an eyelid. “If you add 137 to 95, we are clearly in the majority in the House of Representatives and we will speak with one voice.
“This large figure of Reps will speak with one voice in all proceedings bordering on bills and motions. “We will handle all matters as one large family to bring down those tyrants who are enemies of democracy in the old PDP”, he said.
On the venue of the meeting, the lawmaker declined to reveal it, saying, “you know it is not possible giving you the venue of the meeting because they have all the security agencies in their pockets.
“They have started all manners of investigations including the bugging of all our lines immediately we declared for the ‘New PDP’, he said.