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Tag: impeachment

  • Amaechi sues House, Speaker over impeachment plot

    Amaechi sues House, Speaker over impeachment plot

    RIVERS State Governor Rotimi Amaechi yesterday moved to stop the alleged plot by the State House of Assembly to impeach him.

    He filed a suit at a State High Court against the House and its 32 members, seeking judicial protection against the purported plan to remove by illegal and unconstitutional means from office.

    In the suit filed yesterday before Justice George Omereji in Port Harcourt, Amaechi prayed the court to halt any moves by the lawmakers to impeach him illegally or unconstitutionally.

    The suit is entitled “Between the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and the RSHA, the Speaker RSHA, Otelemaba Dan-Amachree and 31 members of the state Legislative Assembly.”

  • Amaechi to Abuja: I’m not scared of impeachment

    Amaechi to Abuja: I’m not scared of impeachment

    Southsouth governor leads plot against Rivers governor

    AMID a grand plot to impeach him, Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi spoke yesterday on his travails, saying he will have no regrets if he leaves office.

    A Southsouth governor is said to have been directed by some forces in the Presidency to fund the plot under which seven lawmakers are to be induced to join the anti-Amaechi camp.

    Of the Assembly’s 32 members, five are against Amaechi.

    But Amaechi said: “Indeed, it is only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that has the guts to suspend a governor without a reason. I leave them to God and to you (the people)…. We must come together to defend Rivers State. It’s not about me; I have served eight years as Speaker, nearly six years as governor. Even if I am removed tomorrow, I am satisfied that this state, this country and history will recognise and remember me.”

    “If there is no history that I have made, the one God has helped me to make is the one that I stood out and fought for my right and became a governor. You voted on my behalf and the Supreme Court confirmed that when you people were voting, you were voting for me. But you also need to make your own history and that history is that let Abuja know that you can stand for your right, whether you belong to PDP or APC or any other party.”

    Amaechi, who was re-elected Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) last Friday, has been suspended from the PDP – a dimension he insists was unfair. He said the people’s votes must count in the choice of who becomes governor of the state in 2015.

    The governor was addressing an inter-party summit with the theme “Cohesive inter-party relations as a panacea for peace and sustainable development in Rivers State” in Port Harcourt, the state capital. He noted that any government which could not attribute its victory to the people’s votes would not be responsible to the people, adding that governments at all levels become transparent and accountable only when they fear they could be voted out for poor performance.

    Amaechi recalled his speech at a youths forum on Monday.

    He said: “If you listened to me yesterday (Monday) when I was addressing Rivers youths, I told them ‘all those from 18 and above should please get up’ and they got up. I asked them to sit down, they did and I asked again, ‘all those that have voter cards should please get up’ and a lot of them did and I said we shall punish irresponsible politicians with our cards. So what I expect from all of you whether you belong to APC, CPC, where ever you belong to, start now to mobilise the state for one man, one vote. We will not allow them intimidate us with police or anything. Instead, we shall intimidate them with our votes.”

    He stressed the need for a free and fair election.

    “Any government formed without the people’s votes cannot be responsible to the people,” the governor said, adding: “The only way government or governors or presidents or whoever can stop corruption, can stop mal-administration is when that government is put in place by you (the people) and they know that if they don’t govern well, you (the people) will vote them out. So your first demand should be that all governments must be responsible enough to allow for a free and fair election.”

    The keynote speaker and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Magnus Abe, urged politicians to preserve and not destroy Rivers State by their actions.

    He lamented the lack of participatory democracy among political parties and the sole desire by parties to acquire and retain political power for selfish interests.

    Abe said: “In Nigeria, the evolution of our party politics has been less than satisfactory. I say this because our country today is deeply divided along ethnic, religious and cultural lines. The main challenge facing our country has been the development of national political parties that will promote issue and idea-based contest for power. In other words, the contest for power will be a contest of ideas. The parties in Nigeria have evolved into vehicles strictly for the acquisition and retention of political power. In this evolution, our political parties have lost one of the key attributes of participatory democracy, that leadership should be a contest, not of persons, but of ideas.”

    The chairman of the occasion and retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, urged political parties to believe and mean well for the country they serve.

    He urged politicians to uphold the truth and accept fairness: “I believe truth must be upheld, fairness must be justified and accepted and those who think that it is enough to conspire against truth have to be exposed,” Justice Karibi-Whyte.

    He advised political office holders to work for the common good of the people who voted them to power: “We are talking about governor, the office of the governor. We admire the governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi because of his performance. We follow him because of his performance. We’ll do everything to ensure that he succeeds and the institution still carries on,” the eminent Jurist said.

    He criticised those plotting against Amaechi, calling them conspirators with a destructive motive: “The group, which, as all of us know, they are all conspirators. The conspiracy runs foul when it is directed towards a wrong motive. When it is a conspiracy, which is destructive, which is oppressive and which makes it difficult for the common man to admire what is going on, then there is a foreboding of anarchy.”

    Rivers State Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu, yesterday said the directive to obtain permit from the police before embarking on peaceful protest came from Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar.

    He was apparently reacting to the statement by Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi while addressing Rivers youths at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday, that he would soon lead Rivers people to protest injustice without obtaining any permit from the police commissioner.

    Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), expressed shock that Mbu could lead over 10,000 ex-militants on May 22 to protest against him and his administration in Port Harcourt, after which he said the police boss hurriedly banned protests. He alleged that he had taken sides.

    The Rivers governor also accused the police commissioner of supporting the return to the era of militancy and insecurity, where people had to raise their hands, while walking on the streets of Port Harcourt and its environs, which he said he tackled, when he came into office of October 26, 2007.

    On whether he would give the governor a permit if he wants to lead a peaceful protest, the police boss said: “Until then.”

    The Rivers police commissioner also declared that he was not in the state to satisfy any individual, but had great respect for Amaechi, while frowning on the attitude of the labour leaders, who he criticised for forcing the workers to join the two-day warning strike.

     

  • Agbaso loses bid to stop his impeachment

    Agbaso loses bid to stop his impeachment

    An Owerri High Court yesterday struck out a motion by embattled Imo Deputy Governor Jude Agbaso to stop the impeachment process against him, by the House of Assembly.

    The Presiding Judge, Justice F.I. Duruohaigwe, said it would be unnecessary to grant the motion, since the applicant was not challenging the impeachment.

    Agbaso had prayed the court to restrain the state legislature from proceeding with the impeachment process which began last week.

    He also prayed the court to restrain the Police from harassing him or acting upon the recommendations of the Assembly against him.

    The court, however, granted the applicant’s prayer, seeking to serve the respondents processes for the substantive suit through substituted means.

    Counsel to the applicant Patrick Ikweto (SAN), told the court that the respondent infringed on the fundamental rights of the deputy governor by investigating and indicting him in its report.

    Counsel to the respondent, Chief Akintola Adeniyi (SAN), argued that the court had no jurisdiction to make any order in the matter.

    He argued that the matter was primarily a case of impeachment, which the House of Assembly is constitutionally empowered to handle.

    He submitted that the applicant contradicted himself by joining impeachment and right infringement in his application.

    The court adjourned hearing on the substantive suit to March 27

     

  • Can Agbaso escape impeachment?

    Can Agbaso escape impeachment?

    As the plot to shove aside Imo State Deputy Governor Jude Agbaso thickens, Correspondent OKODILI NDIDI writes on the tribulations of an embattled politician caught in the web on 2015 high wire politics.

     

    The storm is gathering. The state is polarised over the sensitive issue. There is a big question mark on the move by the Imo State House of Assembly to impeach the Imo State Deputy Governor Jude Agbaso. But, to the lawmakers, there is no going back.

    Agbaso is under investigation for an alleged N458 million bribe. The number two citizen has denied the allegation. His supporters have cried foul, alleging that he was being victimised. But the camp of Governor Rocha Okorocha are insisting that Agbaso’s time is up.

    The actions of the House have been dismissed by the supporters of the deputy governor as stage managed to push Agbaso out of the way, ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    The proponents of this view were not swayed by the fact that the ad-hoc committee set up by the House to investigate the financial allegations against Agbaso by a contractor handling road projects in the state indicted Agbaso of the crime and subsequently proceeded to impeach him.

    Agbaso, a former Commissioner of Works and Transport, was accused of abusing the privileges of his position by corruptly enriching himself.

    But in a spirited attempt to belittle the weight of the accusations brought against him and to curry public sympathy, the deputy governor said that his travail was politically motivated. He alleged that certain people were eager to get him out of the way so that his boss would not be challenged in his second term bid.

    He disclosed that the governor, who he accused of witch-hunting him, signed an agreement with his elder brother, Chief Martins Agbaso, to serve only one term and handover to his brother who gave him (Okorocha) the platform to emerge as governor in 2011.

    Agbaso also accused Okorocha of inducing the members of the House with financial gratifications to move against him. “The contractor that has been falsely accusing me was actually nominated by Okorocha, who approved the payment of N1.3billion to the contractor for a job not yet done”, he added.

    The deputy governor’s brother, Chief Martin Agbaso, described the deputy governor as a victim of political manipulations, ahead of the 2015.

    “We are a hard working family and do not indulge in fraud. So, I can state authoritatively that the deputy governor, who is my blood brother, is framed up because of politics. He could not have committed the offence for which he is vilified”, he maintained.

    Hard as the deputy governor tries to extricate himself from the allegation, public interest in the ongoing probe of the contract scam by the House has continued to heighten with a call on the lawmakers to ensure that, if Agbaso was culpable of the financial crime, he should be impeached and prosecuted.

    The House of Assembly, in a swift response to the deputy governor’s claim, restated that he was indicted by the report of the ad-hoc committee, which independently investigated the allegation against him.

    In a statement signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon Acho Ihim, the House insisted that Agbaso was merely wiping up sentiment by employing cheap political blackmail to divert public attention from the issues of embezzlement and abuse of office.

    The Commissioner of Information, Mr. Chinedu Offor, also described his statements as diversionary and unfounded.

    “His Excellency, the Deputy Governor, should face the serious issue of corruption raised by the ad-hoc committee, which is investigating him over an allegation of N458 million scam, instead of trivializing the issue. Governor Okorocha does not interfer with the autonomy of the House and cannot control the on-going probe”, he said.

    Although Okorocha has kept mum on the probe, he is said to be embittered by the alleged actions of his deputy, who he trusted with the Works Ministry to give him a sense of belonging.

    A source close to the governor, who pleaded anonymity, said that “the governor took his deputy like a younger brother and had to allow him certain privileges, which saw him emerged as the Works Commissioner. This position made it possible for him to negotiate for the award and payment of contracts, but he seemed to have abused the privileges”.

    However, the travail of Agbaso started when a construction Firm, JPROS International Nig. Ltd, abandoned the construction of Sam Mbakwe Road, after receiving full payment for the job.

    The protests that trailed it prompted the House to set up a six-man committee headed by Hon. Simeon Iwunze to investigate the allegations of fraud and indiscriminate award of contract against the deputy governor.

    During the investigation, the Managing Director of the company, which earlier abandoned the three kilometer road after receiving payment, Joseph Dina, confessed that he paid N458 million to the deputy governor as inducement to get more road contracts.

    After series of meetings between the deputy governor and the contractor, the ad-hoc committee, in its report, insisted that the deputy g`overnor has a case to answer in the N458 million contract scam

    Even, some top government officials who watched the video tape, concluded that, with what they had seen, it will be difficult for the deputy governor to wriggle out.

    Many individuals and groups have called on the House to live up to its billing and resist any pressure to abandon the probe.

    The Imo State branch of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) expressed worry over the development. Its Chairman, Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), said that “the on-going indictment of the deputy governor by the House shows that all is not well in the state.

    “Something is definitely wrong with a system where the governor approves the payment of a whole contract sum without the certificate of performance and what is more worrisome is the speed with which the government embarked on new projects without designs and budgetary allocations.

    “The government has commenced one thousand road projects without designs and asked contractors to execute them and majority of those projects were not captured in the state budgets and today, they have not been paid for. Today, everyone has seen what we are talking about the government, which refused to pay indigenous contractors, but paid a Lebanese over a billion naira for a job not done”.

    The PDP chieftain however, clarified that the party is more concerned with the volume of fraud that was unearthed by the House than the impeachment of the deputy governor. “Who knows how many of such illegal payments have been made to contractors that have not been discovered? The system is truly sick. The House should dig deeper and it will discover other mind boggling fraud perpetrated by Okorocha’s government”.

    Another group, the Conference of Imo Progressive Youths (CIPY), supported the move by the House to probe Agbaso.

    The group, in a statement signed by its secretary, Wilson Ajawara, and zonal coordinators; Jude Oduoma (Orlu Zone),Ifeanyi Onweyiajoa (Okigwe Zone), and Ike Njoku (Owerri Zone), urged the lawmakers to resist pressure from politicians to jettison the probe.

    “Any callous criminality against Imo State is unacceptable to us. The use of our mandate to rob us is condemnable and we condemn it in totality”, added the group.

    The group charged the legislators to remain focused in the discharge of their constitutional duties, stressing that, “it is the responsibility of the House of Assembly to check the excesses of the other arms of government, hence, our clarion call for the lawmakers to rise to the occasion”.

    The Owerri Zone Political Forum (OZOPOF) called for an unbiased investigation to unravel the true position of the matter to ensure that no one is punished unjustly.

    The chairman of the forum, Chief Charles Amadi, who led other members of the group in solidarity to the Agbaso’s family, said that, “although they are not in support of corruption, the lawmakers should ensure that no one is punished unjustly, but should extend the investigation to every party mentioned in the allegation”.

    A political analyst, Dr Temple Uzoaru, submitted that a financial crime has been allegedly committed by the deputy governor. “Whatever agreement the Agbaso family had with Governor Okorocha on 2015 is not the business of Imo people. What we are demanding is accountability from our leaders. We are watching to see how this whole drama will end. There should not be any scapegoat in the matter. All parties involved should be brought to book”.

     

  • CPC calls for Jonathan’s impeachment

    CPC calls for Jonathan’s impeachment

    IF the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has its way, the National Assembly will begin impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan over the unconditional pardon he granted former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and Mr. Shettima Bulama.

    The party said the lawmakers should take the step if the President failed to withdraw the pardon, which has generated debate.

    According to the CPC, the President’s decision was an embarrassment to the country, adding that the impeachment process should be based on gross abuse of executive authority and total disregard for the feelings of Nigerians.

    On March 9, the National Council of States in its capacity as an advisory body to the President assented to a presidential pardon for Chief Alamieyeseigha, Bulama (former head, Bank of the North), Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya (former Chief of General Staff), Maj.-Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju, Maj.-Gen. AbdulKareem Adisa, Major Bello Magaji, Mohammed Lima Biu and Major Seun Fadipe.

    The decision was hinged on the Provisions of Section 175 (1-3) of the Constitution. Subsection 3 expressly states that: the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Council of State, may exercise his powers under Subsection (1) of this section in relation to persons concerned with offences against the Army, Navy or Air Force law or convicted or sentenced by a court-martial.

    CPC alleged that Jonathan pardoned Alamieyeseigha because of the 2015 election.

    According to a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, CPC said: “Though the ostensible and much-trumpeted reason is for national cohesion, we have it on good authority that the main reason is a self-serving agenda by the Jonathan administration ahead of the 2015 election.

    “Under the Nigerian extant law- which prescribes a 10-year disqualification for any ex-convict- Chief Alamieyeseigha is ineligible for any electoral contest in 2015 since his conviction was done in 2006.

    “As a party, we are aware of the burden of responsibility on us to lend our voice to the vociferous condemnation of this ‘pardon for brazen criminality’ by the Jonathan administration. The wider implications of the infra-dig by this regime concerning the issue are very worrisome.

    “Section 175 (1d) of the Nigerian Constitution, which deals with amnesty, states: ‘Remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence or of any penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to the state on account of such an offence’. “Does this imply that by this amnesty, the assets unjustly accumulated by Chief Alamieyeseigha and forfeited to Nigeria shall be returned to him in part or whole?

    “Would this not send wrong signals to the international community that Nigeria is a big enclave of institutionalised corruption?

    “Would this not discourage potential investors and extirpate the implementation of the much-touted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)?;

    “By this action, is the Jonathan government not festering the cankerworm of corruption and implicitly encouraging the succeeding generation on imbibing that culture?

    “Would this action not be anti-thetical to the spirit and letter of the United Nations (UN) charter against corruption to which Nigeria is a signatory?

    “Without any scintilla of doubt, Dr. Jonathan, as President, has ceased from serving the collective interest of the people

    “He seems more pre-occupied with political manoeuvres- that are deleterious to the corporate existence of the country than ensuring good governance through enunciation of policies that do not offend the ethno-religious balance of the polity.”

     

  • Impeachment: Imo Deputy Gov heads for court

    Impeachment: Imo Deputy Gov heads for court

    • Chief Judge raises probe panel

    Laced with impeachment threats, the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso has asked the High Court of Imo State and a Federal High Court in Owerri to stop moves to remove him by the state House of Assembly

    He asked the court to restrain the state Chief Judge, Justice A B Njemanze and the impeachment panel from taking further step with his removal from office, pending the determination of the suit.

    The deputy governor specifically urged the court to “stop the Imo CJ from acting on a request from the speaker of the state Assembly, Benjamin Anyanwu, to appoint a six- man panel to further proceed against his removal over unfounded allegation, conclusion or recommendation of the panel pending the determination of the suit.”

    The defendants in the suit are the six – man panel (Simeon Iwunze, Ikenna Emeh, Greg Okemili, Innocent Ekeh, Kingsley Dimaku and Samuel Anyanwu) the Speaker (Uwajumogu), state Assembly, Imo CJ, and the commissioner of police, Imo State Command.

    In a fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed at the state High Court, dated March 14, 2013, Agbaso averred that the constitution of the panel did not follow due process.

    He said if the impeachment panel is allowed to go ahead, it would “present a fait accompli on the court and render its decision nugatory.”

    The deputy governor pleaded with the court to “take judicial notice of the fact that the Imo CJ is aware of the pending suit.

    He said the CJ had assigned the suit to Justice F I Duruoha Igwe and directed that the matter be entertained on Monday, March 18, 2013.

    Some of the grounds for the reliefs being sought by Agbaso: include.

    The applicant is apprehensive that the defendants will go ahead with further breach of his right to fair hearing by proceeding on the contents of the challenged document against him before the substantive suit is determined, which will work exceptional hardship on the applicant.

    Unless the restraining court orders are made, the defendants will do everything any moment from now to present the court with a fait accompli and render the decision on the application nugatory.

    Given the nature of their statuses and offices personal service of the order and originating process cannot be conveniently effected on them.

    He said: “The posers then are:

    * If the CJ knew there was a case where himself was a defendant and there is a prayer for him to be restrained from as the CJ of the state from acting on a request by the speaker of the Imo State House to appoint a panel of 7 persons to further proceed against the applicant (Jude Agbaso) in any manner howsoever in connection with his removal from office as the deputy governor of Imo State;

    * Whether on an allegation, conclusion, finding or recommendation on any issue is, connected with or relating to the report of the special ad hoc committee constituted by the House of Assembly, why did he go ahead with the constitution of the panel knowing full well that section allows him 188(5) of 1999 Constitution, a period of seven days between the passing of the motion by the House and the appointment of seven persons by the CJ?

    * In view of the fact that the speaker and clerk of the House have received copies of the processes filed in court on Thursday 14th of March, and thereby being aware that there was a pending suit, could they legitimately in a country governed by rule of law do anything to overreach the pending suit. The Speaker is a trained lawyer and he ought to aware of the legal position.

    The applicant pleaded with the court to grant an “order of interim injunction, restraining the commissioner of police and his agents from harassing and intimidating him or invading his residence or office pending the exhaustion of all legal options available to him under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) against the defendants.”

    Agbaso is also seeking an order for substituted service of the court processes on the defendants through their agents or through advertisement in two newspapers including DAILY SUN newspaper.

    The impeachment threats against Imo State deputy governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, took a new turn at the weekend, as the state chief judge, Justice Benjamin Ahanonu Njemanze, constitutes a seven-member investigative panel to probe the allegations of misconduct attached to the Notice of Impeachment served on Agbaso by the Imo State House of Assembly.

    In a statement announcing the constitution of the panel, which was released yesterday, Justice Njemanze said his action was in “pursuant to Section 188 (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), and other laws enabling me in that behalf.”

    He also said it was at the request of the speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ben Uwajumogu, contained in a letter with reference number IHA/SP.5H3A/23/15 of 13th March, 2013.

    According to the chief judge, the panel would investigate the allegations as contained in the articles of misconduct attached to the Notice of Impeachment annexed to a letter from the Speaker.

    The five allegations leveled against Agbaso include: * that with intent to deceive the committee and mislead the House, Agbaso denied, before the committee, that he ever had any dealings or telephone conversations with Mr. Joseph Dina of JPROS International Nigeria Ltd, in February – June 2012, “which facts were false and intended to cover your private/underground dealings with Mr. Joseph Dina;” * that “with intent to enrich yourself, you did cause Mr. Joseph Dina of JPROS International Nig. Ltd, to transfer the sum of four hundred and fifty eight million naira only (458,000,000,00) in two installments to two different bank accounts on your instruction and directive on the promise of award of 2 numbers of 15 kilometer of roads.”

     

    He was also accused of receiving a special drink “Blue label (Porsche Design) from the same company among other accusations of causing the state to lose funds.

    Members of the investigative panel include, Hon. Justice G. C. Ihekire, chairman, Vin Onyeka, Egonu Mere, Humphrey Ajaelu, Mrs. Cecelia Chinyere Oladimeji, James Gozie Nze, and Okparaku Nwarie as members.

     

  • Imo deputy governor moves to stop impeachment

    Imo deputy governor moves to stop impeachment

    … Goes to court

    The embattled Imo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Jude Agbaso, on Friday filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Owerri, to stop the impeachment process against him.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Agbaso is asking the court to suspend the impeachment process initiated by the state House of Assembly against him.

    An ad-hoc committee set up by the house to investigate an allegation of demand and receipt of N458 million bribe from a Lebanese road contractor in the state had already indicted Agbaso, the report says.

    However, the deputy governor prayed the court to stop the process due to lack of fair hearing by the Simeon Iwunze-led committee that investigated him.

    The court, however, has set March 18 for hearing of the case.

    During its Wednesday plenary, 25 of the 27 members of the house formally endorsed the deputy governor’s impeachment.

    The house further asked the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Benjamin Njemanze, to constitute a seven-man panel to re-

    investigate the N458 million contract scam as provided in Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

    The house had earlier passed a motion to serve the impeachment notice on the deputy governor by substituted means.

    This followed the inability of the Clerk of the House, Mr. Chris Duru, to serve him the notice.

    The clerk told the house that he could not locate the deputy governor in his office or official residence in Owerri.

     

  • Nasarawa Assembly withdraws impeachment threat on governor

    Nasarawa Assembly withdraws impeachment threat on governor

    The Nasarawa State House of Assembly on Tuesday withdrew its earlier threat to impeach Governor Tanko Al-Makura over the rising insecurity in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the lawmakers’ action followed the submission of a report by the House Committee on Security Matters headed by Alhaji Mohammed Baba-Ibaku(PDP- Udege/LOko).

    While submitting the reports, Baba-Ibaku said the measures contained in the report would guide the governor against future crisis, urging him to ensure that the security operatives mounted check points in various areas facing security challenges.

    In his contribution, a member of the committee, Francis Orogu (PDP-Keana) stressed the need to find a lasting solution the spate insecurity in the state.

    The House unanimously adopted the committee’s report.

    The Speaker of the House, Alhaji, Mohammed Ahmed- Musa, therefore, withdrew the previous impeachment threat issued as the governor had responded promptly to the security challenges in the state.

    The governor had taken serious measures to check frequent communal crisis in the southern senatorial district of the state and “we hereby withdraw our one-week ultimatum for his impeachment passed on him recently.”

    The speaker commended the governor for his move to protect people’s lives and property, assuring him of the house’s support in moving the state forward.

     

  • State Assemblies condemn impeachment of Kogi Speaker

    The Conference of State Legislatures of Nigeria (CSLN) yesterday condemned the impeachment of Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, the Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly.

    CSLN Chairman and Gombe State House of Assembly Speaker, Alhaji Inuwa Garba, addressed reporters in Abuja.

    He said: “Following the crisis that led to the impeachment of the Speaker of Kogi Assembly, the conference set up a six-man fact-finding committee, headed by the Kwara State House of Assembly Speaker Razak Atunwa.

    “Based on available evidence, it is clear that the purported impeachment of Abdullahi Bello was not done in accordance with the provision of the 1999 Constitution, which requires a two-third majority of members to impeach a Speaker.”

    Garba said the Kogi House of Assembly has 25 members and that two-thirds would be 17 members, who are required for an impeachment.

    He said only 12 members sought to impeach the Speaker, adding: “This is a breach of Section 92(2) (e) of the Constitution.”

    The chairman said CSLN frowns at the breach of the Constitution by some members of Kogi State House of Assembly and would continue to address Bello as the legitimate Speaker.

    Garba urged the President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to protect the Constitution by ensuring that the Kogi State House of Assembly returns to the status quo.

    He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to restore Bello’s security details, because they were “improperly” withdrawn.

    Also, Nasarawa State House of Assembly Speaker Musa Mohammed said the conference was not against the impeachment of any Speaker, if he has been found wanting.

    Mohammed added that as lawmakers, they were concerned about the process that led to Bello’s purported impeachment.

    He noted that the lawmakers, who reportedly impeached Bello, did not follow the provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    The lawmaker restated the CSLN’s commitment to democratic norms and procedure, respect for rule of law, transparency and accountability in governance.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Bello and other principal officers of the Assembly were impeached on October 16.

    Bello described his impeachment as illegal because 12 of 25 members signed the petition against him.

     

  • I have no hand in Bello’s impeachment, says Wada

    Kogi State Governor Idris Wada yesterday absolved himself of blame in the controversial impeachment of former House of Assembly Speaker Abdullahi Bello.

    In a statement in Abuja by his media aide, Jacob Edi, the governor said the allegation that he financially induced 12 of the 25 lawmakers to remove Bello was “satanic and most unfortunate”.

    In the statement, entitled: Abdullahi Bello, former Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly: Our position, Wada said: “Bello’s position is a rehearsal of tissues of lies, which has become well known in the active rumour mills, since the sack of the leadership of the House of Assembly.

    “Ordinarily, and since the crisis engulfed the Assembly, the executive has maintained neutrality. But much as the government is not eager to join issues with the former Speaker, it is constrained to issue this statement to set the records straight and educate the public, which may have been persuaded and misled by Bello’s infamous outing.

    “The issue, as contained in the impeachment notice, is purely an internal problem of the legislature. Therefore, any effort to link the good name of the governor and thereby tag him as the mastermind of the impeachment is not only unfortunate and puerile but should also be treated as a desperate attempt by somebody on a free fall to diverting the attention of the public from the real issues as listed by Bello’s colleagues.

    “The grounds for impeachment as contained in the impeachment notice which have been well reported in the media are well spelt out and not vague.

    “For anyone in doubt, Bello and his cohorts were accused of poor leadership and high handedness.

    “To be precise, the former Speaker was accused of being insensitive to the feelings of the citizenry as shown in his refusal to show reasonable concern first when 19 worshipers, and two soldiers on national assignment were gunned down by unknown persons in the Central Senatorial District and later during the flood that ravaged nine local government areas cutting across the three Senatorial Districts of the state.

    “He was accused of adjourning the House indefinitely and being absent during the visits of President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President David Mark, who separately paid solidarity visits to the flood victims.”

    Bello denied the allegation, saying they were dissident legislators out to precipitate anarchy in the state.

    He said: “The accusation that I did not come to receive the President is incorrect. I want to make it clear that I was not informed that the President was visiting.

    “I was attending a Conference of Speakers’ meeting on Constitutional amendment in Abuja the day the President visited. It was too late for me to leave immediately to the state.

    “I was in Saudi Arabia for Umrah when gunmen attacked the Deeper Life Bible Church in Okene in which many worshippers were killed and another two soldiers also killed a day after.”