Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Godswill Akpabio yesterday said President Goodluck Jonathan has not committed any impeachable offence.

Besides, the governor who is from the South South region assured that the planned impeachment exercise process of the President by the House of Representatives lawmakers would be an exercise in futility.

Akpabio also criticized those asking the President to resign over the insecurity challenges facing the country, saying Jonathan is capable enough to address the Boko Haram treat.

He noted that as long as the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] enjoyed the majority seats at the lower chamber, it would be difficult to remove the President.

It will be called that the lower chambers members have given the September to fully implement the 2012 budget or face impeachment.

The governor spoke to reporters at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja while returning from an Investment Summit in the United States on Tuesday night.

According to him, “the President has not committed any impeachable offence. “I am not a member of the National Assembly but I can tell you that the PDP, which I belong, has majority in the National Assembly and the party representatives has no intention to support any plan or intention to impeach Mr. President. Any right thinking politician will know that there is nothing in the offing that will warrant the impeachment plot. There is no reality in that rumour.”

Defending the President on the issue of insecurity in the country, the governor described the Boko Haram members as a faceless set of people, who indulged in mischief under the guise of religion.

He said the President has the capacity to address the crisis.

According to him, the group would soon surrender their arms because as Nigerians, they also want to witness peace.

He said: “Who are the members of the Boko Haram? When we see Boko Haram members, we will discuss with them because as far as I am concerned, we still have a lot of people masquerading under Boko Haram to send a lot of mischief text messages, information, among others. Mr. President has the apparatus of government to know truly who is a Boko Haram member and who is not.

“ I am sure that he is taking the right security steps to address their feelings and I am very sure that very soon, Boko Haram will lay down their arms because they are Nigerians and they would like to see peace.”

Akpabio said Nigerians believe in secularity, saying the issue of Islamisation  of the country is being sponsored by those backing the dreaded Islamic group

He said: “The rumour about Islamisation of Nigeria is being orchestrated by people who are hiding under Boko Haram to cause crisis. It happened in the Niger Delta when we had militants and all sorts of people claiming to be Boyloaf, Tompolo and others.

“It was only after the amnesty was declared that these kingpins under militancy came around and people saw them. They were people who were being used; some people were paying money to these people who called themselves militant warlords in the Niger Delta. They were not and clearly speaking, a lot of 419 and a lot of youths are trying to take advantage of the situation and trying to be Boko Haram.

“So, there is no truth about that; I just want to allay your fears. Don’t allow people to deceive you that they want to Islamise Nigeria. No! Nigerians believe in their secularity and the strength of this country is in our plurality and I am very happy and proud to be a Nigerian. Once the grievances of the Boko Haram sect are addressed, I am sure they will also be very happy to lay down their arms for the betterment of this country. Don’t listen to that rumour, that rumour is just baseless. “


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