The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kogi Assembly

  • Kogi assembly crisis: Suspected thugs attack lawmakers

    Kogi assembly crisis: Suspected thugs attack lawmakers

    Four factional principal officers of the Kogi State house of assembly Wednesday escaped death by the whiskers as suspected thugs launched an attacked on them at the Reverton on Hotel, Lokoja, where they have been holed up since last week when they attempted to impeach the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Momoj Jimoh-Lawal.

    The suspected political thugs allegedly loyal to the embattled speaker stormed the hotel around 1pm with armed cutlasses and other dangerous weapons in search of the lawmakers suspected to have spearheaded the move to unseat Jimoh-Lawal as speaker.

    Addressing newsmen in Lokoja the factional speaker, Hon. Godwin Osiyi expressed shock at the attack on the members at Reverton Hotel.

    He explained that following the intervention of the state governor, Capt. Idris Wada who advised that they should take the part of peace, they decided to shift sitting to a later date.

    He pointed out that he and other members remain resolute and that they have been sleeping from one hotel to another for fear of attack.

    Osiyi stated that it was a shock when the younger brother of the embattled speaker led thugs numbering over 50 in a convoy of official vechicles to where they were, smashing three Prado Toyota jeeps and KIA Sportive SUV cars and carted away over N3 million.

    According to him, the cars belong to him, as the new speaker, the deputy speaker, Hon. John Abbah, the majority leader, Hon. Mathew Kolawole, and the minority leader, Hon. Idachaba Salifu Isah.

    The factional speaker said that their lives have been under threat since the speaker was impeached last Thursday, adding that no amount of intimidation can stop the group for carrying out their functions as members of the house.

    Reacting to the insinuations that his younger brother led thugs to attack other members of the house, Jimoh-Lawal stated that he was not aware of any such attack.

    He described the allegation as an attempt to give a dog a bad name, adding that mentioning his name was to tarnish his image and that he is from humble background.

    He noted that his brother is equally from a humble family and could not have led thugs to attack members of the house of assembly, stressing that after all they all met with the state governor, with view to find lasting solution to the crisis.

  • I remain Kogi Speaker – Jimoh-Lawal

    I remain Kogi Speaker – Jimoh-Lawal

    The impeached Kogi Speaker, Hon. Momoh Jimoh-Lawal, on Thursday insisted he remains the House helmsman.

    Reacting to his removal by 17 of the 25 members of the state Assembly, Jimoh-Lawal said due process was not followed in the said impeachment.

    He said the signatures of lawmakers that reportedly supported his impeachment were forged, saying the police will be invited to investigate the matter.

    “I remain the Speaker,” he asserted.

     

  • Update: Kogi Assembly speaker impeached

    Update: Kogi Assembly speaker impeached

    The Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Momoh Jimoh-Lawal was Thursday impeached along with two other principal officers, his deputy, Hon. Ali Akuh and minority leader, Hon. Hassan Bello.

    Jimoh-Lawal was impeached over allegations of incompetence in the running of the affairs of the assembly.

    Addressing pressmen in Lokoja, chairman of the house committee on information, Hon. John Abbah stated that the action of “17 members” of the assembly to remove Jimoh-Lawal as speaker should not be seen as novel, but imperative, in view of the demand to remove the speaker before now.

    He explained that there had been previous moves to remove Jimoh-Lawal as speaker, but that they have been managing him, stating that when the 17 members could no longer manage him and others, they had no option but to move against him.

    Abbah, who is the new deputy speaker, said that Jimoh-Lawal was impeached because of incompetence, greed and betrayal of members.

    Also removed along with Jimoh-Lawal, was his deputy, Hon. Ali Akuh and the minority leader, Hon. Hassan Bello.

    Meanwhile the house has elected new speaker in the person of Hon. Godwin Osuyi, while Hon. John Abbah was elected as the new deputy speaker and Hon. Eneche Ojochemenemi Linus became the new the minority leader.

    The newly elected speaker, Godwin Osuyi said that the impeachment had nothing to do with the political situation in the state.

    He pointed out that all the 25 assembly members are capable of being speaker of the house, and that if any is not competent, such can be removed.

    He announced that the house has been adjourned to 16 December.

    …

  • APC seek support for Kogi Assembly candidates

    APC seek support for Kogi Assembly candidates

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in Kogi State, Alhaji Hadddy Ametuo has called on the people of the state to vote massively for the candidates of the party in the April 11 governorship and state house of assembly election.

    Ametuo who spoke to newsmen Monday in Lokoja said the impressive conduct and support for the APC by the people of the state in the Presidential and National Assembly polls was clear indication of the peoples readiness for a total change.

    He stated that voting APC to victory on Saturday will enable the state fall into the mainstream national politics, adding that the state cannot afford to be in the opposition.

    He lamented the alleged non-payment of backlog of salaries of local government workers and teachers in the state.

  • Reps order total closure of Kogi Assembly

    Reps order total closure of Kogi Assembly

    The House of Representatives on Thursday ordered the full closure of the Kogi State House of Assembly pending the report of its mediation on the crisis rocking the House.

    The lawmakers in a letter directed the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), Ekpenyong Ita and other relevant security agencies to ensure full compliance with its order.

    The letter dated October 30, 2012 was signed by the Deputy Chief Whip and Chairman House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee to mediate in the Kogi State House of Assembly crisis, Hon Murktar Ahmed.

    The same letter was also addressed to all members of the Kogi State House of Assembly and the Clerk of the House.

    The lawmaker also directed the Clerk of the House and all other supporting staff of the Assembly not to recognize any group of members or its leadership pending the outcome of the Ad-Hoc committee’s mediation.

    It would be recalled that 12 members of the 25 member Kogi Assembly last month sat and impeached the Speaker of the House, Hon Abdullahi Bello and other principal officers of the House.

    The action of the members has been variously condemned as illegal.

    Analysts have said the group did not meet the mandatory two- third majority members required to carry out the impeachment.

     

  • Kogi Assembly Complex sealed, workers locked out

    Workers at the Kogi State House of Assembly were on Wednesday barred from entering the assembly complex with security agents sealing off the area.

    The development was sequel to the impeachment of the Speaker, Alhjaji Abdullahi Bello, and 11 other principal officers of the house on Tuesday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that security men in combat gear were seen at the gate of the assembly turning back workers who reported for duty.

    Some of the security men were seen warning the workers to comply with security directives in their own interest.

    Some of the workers, who spoke with NAN, said they would return to their duty posts on Thursday when the house was expected to resume session, after four months break.

    Alhaji Ibrahim Amoka, Special Adviser, Media, to Bello told NAN that the heavy security presence was necessary to maintain law and order.

    “When there is crisis like this, security men must secure the environment to ensure that peace is not compromised. It is also to avoid further crises, you can see there is tension everywhere,” he said.

    Amoka assured that the house would resume on Thursday, saying that the speaker would also resume work.

    Mr. Amadi Nwaneri, Police Public Relations Officer of the Kogi State Police Command, also told NAN that the tight security at the assembly complex was to “ensure peace and security in the land.