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Tag: divided

  • A divided house goes for shadow poll

    A divided house goes for shadow poll

    There is crisis in the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as it holds governorship primary  today to elect its governorship candidate for next year’s election. The party is polarised by the ambition of two aspirants-Jimi Agbaje and Musiliu Obanikoro. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the acrimonious preparations for the shadow poll and the tension unleashed by the bitter competition for power.

    The die is cast between former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and the Afenifere chieftain, Jimi Agbaje, a  pharmacist. The two politicians are the frontliners in today’s Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries. Other aspirants – Dr. Segun Ogundimu, Mr. Bola Gbadamosi, Ambassador Tokunbo Kamson and Mr. Deji Doherty, an engineer-may be like spectators at the shadow poll.

    Ahead of the exercise, there is tension in the troubled chapter. Party sources said that there is desperation on both sides. Although Agbade has not approached the contest as a do-or-die matter, those supporting him are hinging their survival on his ambition and success at the general elections. Also, those backing Obanikoro are not leaving any stone unturned to get the ticket.

    Prominent PDP leaders backing Agbaje include Chief Olabode George and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, the former Minister of Works. George has fired salvos at Obanikoro, saying that he joined the race to cause trouble. He said it was curious that he resigned as a minister, few months after he was appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan. George also said that Obanikoro was peddling falsehood, clarifying that he has not been endorsed by the President. In his view, Obanikoro’s candidacy may dent the image of the party before Lagosians.

    The bitter struggle underscores the personality crisis and ego war between George and Obanikoro. At the weekend, the former High Commissioner to Ghana returned the torrent of missiles from George. He said the retired naval officer and former military governor of Ondo State is his rival at the primaries, and not Agbaje, who he described as a foreigner in the chapter. He boasted that he will win the primaries without George’s support.  His supporters said that it is a not an empty boasting, recalling that he Obanikoro beat George’s candidate, Mrs. Hilda Williams, at the 2007 primaries.

    A party chieftian hinted at the weekend that Lagos PDP is in trouble again. Reflecting on the division, he said the party would be weakened by the escalation of crisis, ahead of the general elections. “If Agbaje wins, the supporters of Obanikoro will not support him because reconciliation is always difficult in this party. Also, if Obanikoro becomes the candidate, with what is happening now, George and his group will not support him. Is the party not jinxed? That is the situation now.”

    But, Ogunlewe, who is backing Agbaje, disagreed. He said while the shadow election is the internal affairs of the PDP, Lagosians will determine the fate of candidates at the general elections. The former minister said there is no way Lagosians will prefer Obanikoro to the All progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, who he described as a reputable chartered accountant and financial expert.

    Ogunlewe added: “A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is leaving the position now. Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun is a chartered accountant and a financial expert. Mimiko is a medical doctor. Ajimobi has profile. Where is Obanikoro coming from? Is he electable? The question is which type of governor do you want? In 2015, people will vote for personality, not party.”

    Obanikoro has been described as the most formidable aspirant. Politically, he is also the most experienced politician in the fold, having served as the Chairman of Lagos City Council, Vice Chairman of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, senator between 2003 and 2007, High Commissioner to Ghana and Chairman of the National Industrial Training Fund. In 2007, he was the governorship candidate. Many believe that  strong Obanikoro has a structure and resources to fund campaigns and run for the election.

    However, Agbaje is not a push over. The Afenifere chieftain is a credible politician. He is loved by many people. In 2007, he was one of the aggrieved aspirants who defected from the Alliance for Democracy (AD), following the primaries that threw up Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) as the candidate. As the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA), he did not make much impact during the election. Agbaje is rich. He also has a network of friends ready to support his bid. But, his strength lies in his integrity and credibility. Lamenting his defection to the PDP, a chieftain of the APC said: “Agbaje has been around for a long time. He was there when the PDP was described as the nest of killers. Can he stand the sight of blood? Can he handle gun? Can he wait when he sees cutlass and broken bottles at campaigns? That is why I said that he has joined a bad company.”

    For 15 years, the Lagos PDP has gazing at the Government House. Its ambition to produce the governor has been aborted by the progressive bloc. In 1999, the PDP candidate, Chief Dapo Sarumi, was defeated by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) flag bearer, Senator Bola Tinubu. In 2003, former Governor Tinubu also defeated the PDP challenger, the late Mr. Funso Williams. In 2007, the PDP candidate, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, lost his deposit. He was defeated by the Action Congress (AC) candidate, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN). Initially, the Williams’ widow, Hilda, was named as the flag bearer, following the primaries at the National Stadium, Surulere. But, based on the strategic advice of a PDP leader, Chief Tony Anenih, the ticket was given to Obanikoro. In 2011, Dr. Ade Dosunmu of the PDP could not make impact. He was also defeated by Fashola.

    Since its inception, the PDP has not known peace. Ahead of the primaries and the general elections, the party is in turmoil. The bickering has led to the defection of many chieftains to the ruling party in the state. The defectors include Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, Senator Tony Adefuye, Chief Yomi Finnih, Dr. Aganga-Williams, Chief Demola Seriki and Chief Wale Mogaji. Prominent ACN chieftains, who had earlier defected to the PDP, have also retrace their steps. They include Mr. Tunde Braimoh, Enock Ajiboso, and Dauda Kako-Are ran back to the AC.

    Since the report of the Harmonisation Committee led by Chief Tunde Osunrinde from Ogun State was not implemented, the politics of exclusion permeated the chapter. Osunrinde had recommended the sharing of party officers on equitable basis so that peace could reign. Owing to the non-implementation of the report, other leaders, including Ogunlewe, Mrs. Modupe Sasore, the late Senator Wahab Dosunmu, and other chieftains were working at cross purposes with George.

    In fact, in 2011, many of them perceived Dr. Ade Dosunmu, not as the party candidate, but as George’s candidate. The party went for the election as a divided house. On poll day, it was crushed by the ACN. After the election, PDP leaders started to trade blames. A reconciliation move was mooted by some elders. But, it did not see the light of the day.

    Since last year, some elders have been brainstorming on how to package the party. Ogunlewe said necessity made it compelling to the chapter to do a thorough soul-searching. A team of researcher was sent out to do a pseudo-survey on the prospect of the party in next year’s polls. Its finding showed that the party was rejected in the past because the candidates could not compete favourably with candidates of the AD, AC and ACN. Consequently, a search team was set up to look for a credible candidate. None could be found in the party, as it were. Therefore the party tried to extend its tentacles beyond the fold. Agbaje’s name was suggested. But, some people pointed out that it may be difficult to convince him.

    Ahead of 2007, Agbaje was contacted by George. At that time, Williams had just assassinated. Prof. Wole Soyinka’s description of the PDP as the nest of killers came to his mind. He told George: “ Do you want me dead like Funso Williams?” Also, former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel had beckoned on Agbaje to join the PDP. But, he also refused. Agbaje also refused to return to his former political family. Although he was persuaded to join the ACN in 2011, he rejected the offer of a juicy portfolio.

    When Agbaje eventually accepted to join the party, he joined because he believed that he would be endorsed as a consensus candidate. He met a party in crisis, making it difficult for the party to enlarged its coast.  Crisis resolution in the fold is also defective. Its leader, George, has often come under attack for alleged monopolisation and personalisation of party power. It has also become increasingly difficult for Lagosians to embrace the PDP because the state has been neglected by the PDP Federal Government.

    Sources said that the research team found out that Lagosians were favourably disposed to Agbaje’s candidature. Therefore, he was introduced to the PDP national leadership and members were urged them to work for him. Agbaje gave a condition. He said that he would accept the offer to fly the flag of the party, if peace returns to the party. This necessitated the settlement of the rift between George and Ogunlewe. But, the suspicion and gulf between George and Obanikoro has remained.

    When Obanikoro became minister, many thought that the coast was clear for Agbaje to emerge as the flag bearer. Trouble started when he resigned, after weeks of speculation. Agbaje camp was jittery because it was not indifferent to Obanikoro’s antecedents and past feats. When the Lagos PDP Elders’ Forum tacitly endorsed the pharmacist, Obanikoro replied that it will not work. His associate, Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, who has traversed the major parties, spit fire, saying that only Obanikoro can win the poll for the PDP. The former governorship aspirant is supporting Obanikoro, having claimed that he has been edged out from the contest.

    Obanikoro has also accused George of interfering in the congresses. He said the party will insist on free and fair primaries.

    However, the elders’ forum explained at the weekend why Obanikoro cannot win the general election for the PDP. The group described him as a “certified spoiler, twisting and turning in the winds, thrashing about in wild, uncoordinated confusion, frozen in a destructive fixation to weaken our party before he jumps ship.”

    Ogunlewe, who spoke with reporters, said the elders have rejected Obanikoro, adding that he cannot add to the fortune of the PDP. He took exception to Obanikoro’s statement that He is contesting, not against Agbaje, but against George, who is seriously mobilising for him. He said: “George is not an aspirant. Why should Obanikoro say he is contesting against him? George has been supporting the steady rise of Obanikoro, even before he became a minister. The point of departure is that George has said that he had supported him to become minister and he cannot support his governorship bid.

    “There will be a level-playing ground. Whoever wins will be supported by the party. But, why should Obanikoro be fanning the embers of disunity. He was the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee that brought into existence the structure of the party at ward, local government and state levels. What he should do is not to insult the leadership of the party, but to seek the support of the structures. He should be a game player and not  spoiler.”

    Ogunlewe said there is no controversy over Agbaje’s defection to the PDP, adding that he has been cleared to participate at the primaries. He added: “Let him come and beat Agbaje with his certificates, honour and integrity. People will not vote for those who have baggage. We want credible candidates. APC has shown us the way by picking from the East Senatorial District a Christian, a chartered accountant. They have shown us the way. We cannot go below that.

    “The people are already assessing Ambode. In the Lagos PDP, we don’t want those who have age problem, those who have questionable credential. People are still asking this question: how was City Hall burnt? In 2007, Obasanjo said Lagps PDP had picked a candidate and that we should go an sell him. But, he said we should wash him, put grease on his body. Take him to the sun and see whther people will take him from you. In 2015, voters will ask questions. We don’t want to look stupid. We will not return to Babylon.”

  • ‘Nigeria more divided now than in 1960’

    ‘Nigeria more divided now than in 1960’

    Former Secretary-General of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) Dr. Kunle Olajide is a delegate to the National Conference. In this interview with BISI OLADELE, he says the report of the conference will reposition the country, if it is implemented.

    You have been at the National Conference for four months. How has it been?

    Exciting. It gave me an insight into this country, by way of composition. Of course, we read it in books and we know that Nigeria is a country of many nations, which was amalgamated in 1914 by Lord Lugard. It is a shame that we are still more divided than we were in 1960. One would have expected us to be more united than we are, but what I witnessed in the last conference gave me the impression that we are more divided now than we were before. To my utmost disappointment, the civilian rule has made us more divided than we were under the military rule, which is a shame. But, I must thank God for the convocation of this National Conference. The Nigerian Tribune leadership called my attention to an interview I granted on October 17, 1993, a full page interview entitled ‘ It is time for national conference,’ which is now coming 21 years later. I thank God that I am one of the delegates. So, it is exciting. I have gotten to know more about Nigeria and more of the power play in the country.

    When the conference was to be convoked, some Nigerians voiced their opposition. Do you think their claim is justified?

    There is justification for the conference. We all know politicians think about the next election and statesmen think of the next generation. Those of us clamouring for the conference were thinking of the next generation because we knew things could not continue that way, but politicians were looking at the next election and power. That is the difference. We all did not believe in it from the initial stage, but now, we all believe in it. Most Nigerians are now looking up to the conference to redeem this country. The victory at that conference will indirectly translate to the victory of Nigeria because that is the tiny thread that is still holding us together. I think it is justified and timely because election is fast approaching.

    At the beginning of the conference there was a rift between the North and South delegates.  What do you think of this?

    That is most unfortunate. We went with an agenda, which we called the “Yoruba Contribution to 2014 National Conference. Everything in our agenda is for a better Nigeria. It is not for a better Yoruba land because we realized that Nigeria is made up of many nations and we have a heterogeneous system and we can only succeed under a true federal system and we realized at the same time that this country is endowed with a lot of resources. There is no state in Nigeria that does not have natural minerals in commercial, exploitable quantities. We have completely abandoned them. There is no country that does not have arable land but we have abandoned them, we have abandoned more than thirty percent of our arable land. A culture that creates wealth, employment has been neglected since 1956 that we have been exploiting the oil resources. We have not added any value, we just lift oil, we call expatriate to lift it and give us money. So, the Yorubas appreciated this rental system, a rental system does not generate wealth. This is why you see that in the world record today, we are the leading oil generating country in Africa, but no development. Oil is lifted, taken abroad, sold and then the money is sent back into the country. We collect the money, spend and live. And you have not created any jobs. If we are cultivating hectares of land, thousands of people will be employed and the money is being used properly to build infrastructures, there will be mass employment. This is what we are not doing – we just collect the money and spend without any development and we have been doing that now for many years that I can’t remember. Oil and gas are wasting asset. We are degrading the environment of the Southsouth where the oil is being exploited. They can no longer use fish. We invited the United Nations and they stated that $200 billion will be required to clean up the rivers. We have not directed any money there and we are talking about life beyond oil. It is only in some places like Bayelsa now that is thinking seriously of life beyond oil because they know the oil will dry up. America that is our biggest buyer of crude oil has stopped buying since the discovery of Sheal oil. In the West Africa sub-region, there is virtually no country that does not have crude oil in large quantity, so the market is so competitive. It is necessary we develop our own mineral resources.

    This was the background information that the Southwest took to the conference. And we thought that people would share it. In fact, it was the decision of the last committee that presidency should rotate among zones, because we wanted to obliterate completely this Northsouth divide.  We think it has held us bound for too long. In my opinion, the North-South divide is completely artificial. We have Yorubas in Kwara state, Yorubas constitute more than 80 percent of the state yet you call it a northern state. We have Yorubas in Kogi state, about seventy percent there, yet you call it a northern state. So, the Northsouth divide is very artificial. And I think it is high time we buried it. Of course, we decided that it has to be rotated among the six geo-political zones.

    Has the National Conference resolved the national question?

    Yes. We have succeeded and I am very happy about that. We have taken not less than 600 critical decisions about Nigeria – about bureaucracy, education, science and technology, commerce, trade and industry and a lot of other things. And then we have taken decisions that everyone will be happy about, that any sane Nigeria will be happy about. One, we created local government arbitrarily with a measure of rationality but the local governments were created with no measure of rationality. An example is here in the Southwest, Osun state, with a population of about three and half million people, has about 30 local governments while Lagos with a population of about 15 million has about twenty local governments. What is the basis for that? And we use local government as a basis for sharing revenue. Kano and Jigawa that used to be the old Kano State has about 74 local governments with a population less than ten million. In any case, local government is local. It should have nothing to do with the Federal Government. It should not be listed in the constitution. It is not done; it should a business of the state, not the Federal Government. The local government keeps growing so the state government should be enabled to create local government as necessary, but you have gone ahead to list them under the Federal Government and have given very stringent conditions for creating new local governments that has made it totally impossible to create new local government under the system. Take a look at Lagos State. Since 1999, Lagos has grown almost into Ogun State and you say a state as large as Lagos State cannot create local government except it goes to Abuja and seek concurrence with two governors of Nigerian state who have no business to do with Lagos. Local government is a local matter, it should be under the state government completely – the creation and the administration. Each state should have its own constitution that will determine the relationship between the state government and the local government; therefore, local government will no longer be shortchanged. There will be state revenue monitoring and distribution committee that will see to the distribution of fund to the local government. But it will be the responsibility of the state government. The governor must be able to decide when the creation of state is necessary. It was only in the First Republic that this was done and it was only administrative area. My own town, Efon Alaye, was an administrative area. It was only in the First Republic that each region had its own constitution. That is what obtains in a full federal system. So, when we succeed in taking decisions that moved us completely away from this system of government, then we can have a truly federal system.

    Another issue is this: if you have a state assembly, and you have no state police to enforce the law, then it is meaningless. If we have state police, Boko haram would not have gone as far as they have gone because the state police will comprise the indigenes of that state. They know their people and they know the area and so on. We have made a lot success in the conference that will change the face of this country for good.

  • A house divided against itself

    A house divided against itself

    IT has been 10 months since the inauguration of the present Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Benue State University (BSU). But they have been months of unease for the executive.

    The executive is led by Jeff Mngu, a 400-Level student of Accounting. The union parliament is headed by Titus Hindan, a 400-Level student of Sociology.

    Almost immediately the executive’s tenure began, the SUG was enmeshed in administrative crisis. Some contentious issues resulted into a struggle in the union. Despite the crisis, the union leaders believe that they are doing well.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the crisis caused by the deduction in the constitutional take-off grant for running of the parliament. According to Innocent Okwori, 200-Level Medicine and member representing the Faculty of Basic and Allied Medical Sciences, a part of the house grant was diverted by some union officials. He said the take-off grant was N450,000, but only N200,000 was released to the house.

    Samuel Korzerzer, member representing the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, said: “Some principal officers, who went to the Dean of Students Affairs office for another thing discovered that the amount released was actually more than the N200,000. We confronted the president and the secretary-general but they were trading blame between themselves.”

    Titus denied that the take-off grant was diverted, saying the problem was caused by communication gap between the parliament and the executive.

    He said: “I don’t think the take-off grant was diverted by the executive. Though none of us knew that the money was supposed to be N450,000. The president only released a part. When members discovered that the executive did not receive all the money due to the House, tension built up. I met with the president and he told me that the union had financial challenge. He promised to pay as soon as some money was remitted into the union’s purse. I can say that it was not a diversion.”

    Jeff said: “We went to the Bursary unit and discovered underestimation of the money meant for the house. There was an error in the addition of figures and when it was corrected, the remaining part was released. If I diverted the money, I would have been removed as president.”

    After the take-off grant controversy, the union ran into a budget row. A member of the parliament said he could not remember if the House ever debated or approved any budget from the executive. The member said when the budget was presented to the parliament, the principal officers claimed there was no money to make copies for members for consideration. “The only time they (executive) came to us was when they came to present their committee members. Another time was when we summoned the President, Secretary-General and Director of Welfare. None of us except the principal officers ratified any budget. How was the budget approved?” he queried.

    Titus admitted that the parliament did not approve the budget. He said: “When the House wrote the executive for the budget, they were delaying the process. The president kept shifting date. Later, he brought me part of the budget while the executive was working on the other part. The budget was still being worked on when the crisis began. We went on break, hoping that when we resume, we will consider bills pending before us. We could not do so and there was no iota of truth in the fact that principal officers ratified the budget.”

    But as far as the President is concerned, he sent a budget to the parliament for consideration. “They received it. I gave them a budget personally. When I came in, I discovered that my tenure was very short, so I used my resources to put together a budget and sent it to the Speaker. Later, the parliament wrote to me that they needed allowance to deliberate on the budget and I gave them, but since then, I have not received any reply from them. So if they are saying that I did not send them a budget, it is left to them. But I believe they cannot deny the fact.”

    The Speaker of parliament was having trouble at every sitting. Members quarrelled over the sharing formula for the take-off grant balance. According to one of them, members had expected the money “to go round”, but the Speaker and the Clerk, Terfa Ingbiankyor, allegedly took out huge sum and claimed it would be lodged into the parliament’s bank account. “We were not satisfied with how they spent the first part of the money. So we tried to call the Speaker for a brief informal meeting to iron out the differences. Before then, he went behind to call some members and tried to induce them with money, which they rejected,” a member said under anonymity.

    The Speaker and the Clerk were later asked to convene a sitting but they allegedly refused. After Titus was asked severally to convene parliamentary meeting without doing so, members gathered and elected Tony Onazi, a Law student, as Acting Speaker.

    In the meeting presided over by Tony, Titus and the Clerk were impeached for failing to respect the parliament’s decisions. Fighting back, the impeached officials reported the development to the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof Armstrong Adejo, claiming that they were removed through an alien constitution.

    Samuel said: “When we met with the Dean, he asked us which constitution we used and we showed him. The Dean said the constitution was not recognised by the union but we told him that Titus gave us the constitution. Titus denied before the Dean that he gave us the constitution. We were going to use the old constitution to continue with the procedure, but the Deputy Speaker intervened and called an informal meeting during which we demanded a refund of the money Titus mismanaged. When that was done, we upturned the impeachment and recalled the Speaker.”

    Titus denies the charges, saying in all processes, the constitution should take its course. Another allegation the Speaker faces is that, he single-handedly approved the union’s secretariat project. But Titus said a good number of the parliamentarians consented to the project to continue.

     

  • NIGERIA V CHELSEA LOYALTY: Emenalo divided over Mikel, Moses’ return

    As a proud Nigerian who played at the World Cup in America in 1994, Michael Emenalo admits split loyalties ahead of the Cup of Nations. While he wants success for Nigeria, he would also be pleased with the return of Mikel and Moses to Stamford Bridge during a busy period.

    ‘It’s a difficult one for me. We have two players out there pivotal to what we’re trying to achieve here,’ he reasoned. ‘I get paid by Chelsea but have a patriotic passion for my country. I’d be very happy if they’re able to do it and win, for my country but also because as a Chelsea fan and employee we have given two of the best players they have, who are playing some of the best football of their careers.

    ‘Victor has come in and has a manager that trusts him, so it’s not great timing, but it’s what you have to do, and I wish them well in South Africa.’

    Emenalo is also pleased the Cup of Nations has been rescheduled to take place in odd years, ensuring it never again clashes with a World Cup, as in 2006 and 2010.

    ‘This is the right way to go, and we’re all grateful that finally steps are being take into bring African competition in line with the rest. European football in particular is a great avenue for African players and it’s important it’s taken into consideration,’ he said.

  • Kogi assembly: divided, fractured

    Kogi assembly: divided, fractured

    How legal is the closure of the troubled Kogi State House of Assembly by the National Assembly Ad-hoc Committee on Kogi State House Assembly Matter? This poser has been agitating minds since legislative activities were put in abeyance by the higher legislature.

    The chairman of the committee, Hon. Mukhtar Mohammed Ahmed, said the committee had already got permission from the Inspector General of Police to beef up security to forestall break-down of law and order. He explained that the plenary had to be suspended until after the submission of the committee’s report to the National Assembly, assuring that they were poised to carry out a thorough job.

    The lawmaker further stressed the need for the members of the Assembly to fully co-operate with them, disclosing that the constitution mandates them to take over the affairs of the House if the matter remained unresolved.

    Backing the decision of the committee, Hon. Saidu Akawu Salihu of Koton Karfe State Constituency in Kogi State, maintained that Section 11 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the House to rise to such an occasion.

    According to him, it is a good thing that the National Assembly waded into the issue, as such had averted a crisis capable of consuming the assembly and the state in general.

    Salihu who described the decision as ‘a stitch in time that saves nine’ equally urged the people of the state to support the action so that illegality would not thrive to their detriment.

    The legislator, who belongs to the camp of the impeached Speaker, Hon. Abdullahi Bello, described the committee’s action as legal, adding that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is uppermost.

    Speaking in the same vein, Hon Funsho Daniel, representing Mopa/Muro Constituency in the state, told The Nation that the committee’s action was right. He added that the House would have been in turmoil without the decision. According to him, “We respect the rule of law, “The law is made by man, not spirit. We made the law and therefore we must abide by it.” Hon Daniel, also a supporter of the impeached Speaker,

    Friday Sanni Makama, however, described the action of the ad-hoc committee as illegal and an affront the rule of law. While commending Senator Olorunnibe Mamora for condemning the act, Makama said there was nowhere in the World an ad-hoc committee of a National Assembly would suspend state Assembly proceedings.

    According to Makama, an ad-hoc committee, since it is not a standing committee, can only go for fact-finding mission and subsequently report back to the larger House, but not shutting down the state Assembly’s activities.

    He argued that the National Assembly is only empowered to invoke Section 11 of the Constitution in a case where a state Assembly ceases to function. He said: “The National Assembly, under the section, shall take over the function of the state Assembly in a situation where the Assembly ceases to exist. They have the power to legislate for the state, but the Sub-section 1-2 of Section 11 denies them the right to impeach the governor or his deputy.

    “But in the case of Kogi State Assembly, there is nowhere in the constitution that says an ad-hoc committee shall suspend the activities of the state Assembly.”

    He accused the committee of having concluded its investigation before coming to the state for the fact finding. “To show that the committee had already concluded its judgment, before visiting the state, they had asked the Inspector General of Police to seal up the assembly and thank God, the Chairman of the committee announced it at the floor of the House. I have never seen such a thing before. How can you conclude a case you have not even commenced investigating?” He asked.

    “The state Assembly had not been sitting for three months despite the need for an emergency sitting. The House did not call for emergency sitting during the killing of a Deeper Life Bible Church worshiper, and the flood that ravaged the state, which of course drew the attention of the entire world; yet, Section 11 was not invoked. It is only when we decided to change our leadership that Section 11 is invoked; it is laughable,” Makama added.

    Also speaking, the newly elected Speaker, Hon. Jimoh Lawal, added that Section 11 could only be invoked when a House is in crisis, saying that there was no crisis in the House, but an inevitable change of leadership.

    He said that the impeached Speaker, who is his brother from the same Okene Local Government area, should come and join hands with him to steer the affairs of the House, rather than going the other way. According to him, he supported Bello when he (Bello) held sway as speaker, wondering why such a gesture should not be reciprocated.

    However, the state Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Musa Katsina, told The Nation that his men never sealed up the state Assembly Complex, explaining that he only beefed up security to forestall any breakdown of law and order based on available intelligence report and a letter written to his office over a planned move to create havoc in the Assembly Complex.