The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kogi State House of Assembly

  • Unease in Kogi over lawmakers’ stand on CJ Ajanah

    As calls for caution continue to trail the Kogi State House of Assembly’s recommended removal of Justice Nasir Ajanah as the Chief Judge, there is unease in the confluence state. James Azania reports

    On Tuesday, the Kogi State House of Assembly recommended the sack of the state’s Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Nasir Ajanah. The move, which had been on the board since late last year, was temporarily aborted by the injunction of the state High Court sitting in Koton-Karfe. The suit was instituted by the CJ and the Registrar of the Kogi State High Court.

    The onslaught against Ajanah thickened last weekend and led to a protest by judicial officers in Lokoja. This did not stop the assembly from taking its the following day.

    The Kogi House of Assembly accused the CJ of gross misconduct, including financial breaches. Details of the misconduct are contained in the report and recommendations of the House Committee on “Public Accounts on the State Auditor General’s Report on 2016 Financial Statements,” in Lokoja.

    Presenting the report, the chairman of the committee, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed, said the CJ should step aside to defend himself over the alleged indictment by the state Auditor-General.

    Mohammed, at the plenary sitting on Monday, said the Public Accounts Committee was set up in line with Section 103 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

    The committee, according to him, was mandated to investigate reported cases of financial breaches, noncompliance with financial regulations and poor handling of financial records by various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the government.

    He said the Kogi State Judiciary in 2016 expended its budget above the approved limits provided in the 2016 Appropriation Law to the tune of N7,574, 850 without the approval of virement application.

    “It was also reported by the State Auditor-General that Kogi State High Court made huge cash withdrawal to the tune of N137,607,334.11. The cash was withdrawn from High Court Bank account in the year under review.

    “This transaction breached the provisions of chapter 6, Regulation 632, which stipulates that the use of cash for payment is hereby prohibited,” he said.

    The committee, which recommended the removal of the CJ, gave a second alternative of stepping aside, pending his appearance before the House Committee on Public Accounts to defend himself.

    It also recommended that the Chief Registrar should be referred to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for disciplinary action and that the state government should commence immediate payment of judicial staff salaries.

    The Majority Leader of the House, Abdullahi Hassan-Balogun moved for the adoption of the report and was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Oluwatoyin Lawal.

    Another member, Haruna Musa, in his contribution, however, urged the House to take cognisance of the subsisting court order on the impasse between the house and the judiciary, and be guarded adequately.

    In his contribution, the Chief Whip, Victor Adewale Omofaiye urged that efforts should be made to pay judiciary staffs the nine months salary arrears while the investigation went on.

    Speaker of the House, Prince Matthew Kolawole adopted the report and recommendations following majority voice votes by members present.

    All these notwithstanding the December 18, 2018 application that was brought before Kogi High Court sitting in Koton-Karfe seeking an out of court settlement of the impasse.

    REad also: PDP cautions Kogi lawmakers over alleged plot to remove Chief Judge

    The application to resolve out of court the legal impasse between the CJ, the State Governor and the House of Assembly was granted.

    Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye granted the application of counsel to the state governor and the assembly who are defendants in the suit instituted by the CJ and Chief Registrar of the state judiciary.

    Counsel for the defendants, Mr Rotimi Oguneso (SAN), made known his personal conviction that the nature of the matter was such that ought to be resolved out of court.

    Oguneso, therefore, applied for an adjournment to allow him to explore the possibility of settlement out of court.

    Leading four others for the appellants, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), did not oppose the application.

    He, however, applied for an extension of time of the lifespan of the earlier orders of the court, ‘to avoid embarrassment to the parties to preserve the res.’

    In his ruling, Omolaye-Ajileye noted that it was part of the duties of a court to encourage amicable settlement of matters out of court.

    He commended the initiative of Mr Oguneso, in seeking to get the matter resolved out of court, but held that the fears expressed by Awomolo over the need to preserve the res of the matter were well-founded.

    He said it was expedient that the lifespan of his earlier orders should be extended, in the interest of justice and in order to prevent the occurrence of any irreparable mischief.

    He accordingly ordered that his earlier order remained in force, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice of 12th December 2018.

    Justice Omolaye-Ajileye further restrained the defendants from taking any step, under any guise, to frustrate the case and adjourned the case to February 4th, 2019.

    The CJ and Chief Registrar had approached the court to challenge the purported plan by the assembly to investigate them and the state judiciary.

    Back then, the house had allegedly constituted a committee to investigate the judiciary upon receipt of a petition by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Folashade Arike Ayoade, over alleged impasse between the judiciary and the state government.

    The appellants had sought and were granted three injunctions restraining the defendants from threatening or interfering in the discharge of the duties of the applicants.

    They also urged the court to restrain the defendants from taking cognizance of any report emanating from the ad-hoc committee set up by the state assembly on the 11th December 2018 pending the determination of the substantive suit.

    On March 5, 2019, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Kogi State chapter dragged the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the CJ and seven others before the National Industrial Court sitting in Lokoja, challenging alleged constitutional breach of non-remittance of funds accruing to the state judiciary, leading to accumulated salary arrears of eight months and strike action.

    In the originating summons filed at the court by Chief Moses Enwere, counsel to the union, JUSUN said it went to court as a last resort.

    It alleged that the state government did not make any concrete effort towards resolving the impasse that necessitated the strike action which started December, last year.

    Other defendants in the matter are the state Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Finance, the Accountant-General, the Auditor-General, the Grand Khadi, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal and the state’s Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

    The union posed three fundamental questions among others, for determination by the court.

    They include, “whether Kogi State judiciary is not entitled, as of right, amounts standing to its credit in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state and payable to the heads of courts in line with section 231(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and section 5 of the Kogi State Public Finance (Judiciary Special Provisions) Law No 6 of 1991.

    “Whether the governor and his appointees joined in the case have the power or right to withhold judiciary’s funds and thereby failing in the payment of monthly salaries, allowances and emoluments of judiciary staff.

    “Whether the executive arm can place such conditions as staff screening, staff data capturing, table payment or any other condition as a prerequisite for the release of the funds without respect for the doctrine of Separation of Powers as envisaged by the Constitution, the Kogi State Public Finance  Law.”

    The union also urged the court to determine whether the executive arm had the powers or constitutional right to usurp the powers of the JSC, by scheming to take over payment of judiciary staff salaries and other emoluments without reference to and approval of the commission.

    It also sought the determination of the Industrial Court, whether on the other hand the CJ and other heads of courts, had received any subvention since 1st July 2018 and have refused to pay the salaries and emoluments of staff.

    It, therefore, urged the court to declare that subject to the provisions of the Constitution and laws of Kogi State, amounts standing to the credit of Kogi State judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state be paid directly to the heads of courts.

    It also urged the court to declare that the executive lacked the power to withhold funds accruing to the judiciary and its continued refusal to remit such funds due to the judiciary, as unconstitutional, illegal, ultra vires, wrong, null and void and of no effect.

    JUSUN, therefore, asked for an order of the court directing the full payment of the accumulated eight months subvention owed the three courts and the JSC, which resulted in the industrial action that commenced December, last year

    It further asked for a perpetual injunction restraining the governor and his agents from further withholding of amounts standing to the credit of the state judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Funds.

    JUSUN also urged the court to restrain the executive from “taking steps that tends towards usurping the powers of the JSC, in terms of payment of emoluments and discipline of judiciary staff.”

    The originating summons was supported by a 21-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Mr Emmanuel Waniko, JUSUN chairman in the state, in which he declared that the staff could no longer afford transport to work and were neither creditworthy.

    The court is yet to give a date for commencement of hearing the matter.

    Following the institution of JUSUN’s suit, Governor Yahaya Bello, in a state broadcast said that funds meant for payment of staff salaries and allocations to the judiciary are “sitting idly in banks awaiting readiness” of their leadership to submit staffs to table payment.

    Bello said money for several months salaries for the judiciary staff were intact.

    He explained that the problem was the refusal of the leadership of the Kogi State Judiciary, in collusion with the leadership JUSUN, to forward the staff payroll for a ‘pay parade.’

    “My preoccupation is how to get that money to the innocent staffers without breaching applicable service rules or our collective agreement with labour. I trust the Almighty God that reason will prevail sooner than later.

    “In any case, monies amounting to several months salaries due to Kogi State civil servants working in the judiciary are sitting in the banks,” the governor said.

    On the lawsuit filed against the governor and his administration along with the state CJ and six others by JUSUN, Bello said it was politically motivated.

    He said, “I am not surprised by the timing of the case, considering the season we are in, and the politicisation of institutions all over the place.

    “The refusal of the leadership of the Kogi State Judiciary to forward their staff payroll for the Pay Parade, with the collusion of JUSUN leaders, is well documented.

    “I have pleaded unsuccessfully with them for months now to do the needful and spare their innocent members this trauma”.

    He added that the state house of assembly had also tried to intervene, only to be stopped by an “injunction from the judiciary, curiously obtained while courts claimed to be on strike.”

    Bello said he had already petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), to intervene since November, last year, but was yet to receive any feedback from the CJN.

    “We look forward to being educated on how a pay parade across all branches and cadres of our civil service is prejudicial to the independence of the judicial arm, but not the Legislative”, he enthused.

     

    CJ reacts

     

    The CJ, in a statement issued on Wednesday, through Saqeeb Saeed, Senior Information Officer, Kogi State Judiciary, said: “Yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, 2nd April 2019, the media, especially the social media, was awash with the report of the recommendation of the Kogi State House of Assembly to His Excellency on the Honourable Chief Judge, the content of which we are yet to know. Today, the news reportage in most traditional media didn’t come to us as a surprise. It was expected, following the events occurring in Kogi State in the last 72 hours.

    “Within this period, the leadership of the Kogi State branch of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria had protested against the plot by the state governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the Kogi State House of Assembly, to oust the Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Nasir Ajanah.

    “Despite the media report of the denial by Mr Kingsley Fanwo, Media assistant to the governor, who even accused the judiciary of peddling rumours, JUSUN’s fears were confirmed by the macabre dance reportedly displayed by the Kogi State House of Assembly yesterday, through its speaker, Rt. Hon. Mathew Kolawole.

    “This development has necessitated our call for caution and restraint on the part of the executive and legislative arms of Kogi State government to avoid overheating the polity. We make this submission reliant on the subsisting order of the Koton-karfe division of the  High Court of Kogi State, which ordered the three arms of government in the state to maintain the status quo ante belum, on 13th December 2019.

    “If it should be contemplated that any of the heads of the three arms of government in Kogi State would ever disobey any court order or contravene provisions of the constitution, the leadership of the judiciary would definitely not be counted among. This is the more reason why His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello and Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly would have cautiously abided by their oaths of office, to uphold and defend the Constitution, which they swore allegiance to.

    “The report purportedly presented to and acted upon by the assembly remains only within its purview and probably that of the executive. While neither the Honourable Chief Judge nor Chief Registrar of the High Court received any correspondence, not to talk of appearing before any House Committee to defend themselves against any allegation, even if trumped up, before and since the court order was issued. His lordship takes exception to the use of such words as “gross misconduct” in reference to him.

    “We’re very sure that the framers and users of this phrase that is capable of tarnishing the reputation and image of the Hon. Chief Judge knows the implication and likely consequence of any malign against the Hon. Chief Judge over unsubstantiated allegations.”

    On its part, the Kogi State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) warned against unconstitutional removal of the Chief Judge of Kogi State, when his tenure is not yet over.

    In a statement signed by the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Mouktar Atimah, the party noted that similar removals done were reversed by the Supreme Court, saying that this will not also stand.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state also faulted the lawmakers’ decision.

  • PDP cautions Kogi lawmakers over alleged plot to remove Chief Judge

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned members of the Kogi State House of Assembly against allowing Governor Yahaya Bello to push them to act beyond their boundaries.

    The warning is coming on the heel of alleged conspiracy by the governor and the state assembly to forcefully remove the state Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajana.

    A statement Thursday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said there is no provision in the nation’s constitution that empowered the state legislature to superintend over the judiciary or usurp the powers and functions of the National Judicial Council (NJC) on issues pertaining to judges, let alone a state Chief Judge.

    The party said the recommendation of the Kogi House of Assembly for the removal of the State Chief Judge was misdirected shadowboxing.

    The PDP said the alleged plot did not only expose the state legislature to public ridicule but also reinforced impressions and allegations in the public space that it has been compromised to execute ignoble schemes of the state executive.

    The main opposition party said the development was not healthy for the image of the legislators in the state and could lead to their recall by their constituents.

    “The powers and functions of the state legislature vis-a-vis those of the judiciary are well carved out in our laws and should be respected at all times. The ostensibly induced action of the Kogi state legislature is, therefore, a direct affront to our constitution and invitation to anarchy.

    “The Kogi lawmakers should note that they were elected to uphold good governance and rule of law for the benefit and welfare of the people of Kogi state, and not as instruments of witch-hunt and intimidation in the hands of an anti-people, repressive, incompetent and grossly corrupt administration, which has no regard for the law and the will of the people.

    “Moreover, the lawmakers should note that in ditching the constitutional provision of separation of powers and joining in assaulting the independence and sanctity of the judiciary, they are also setting their parliament on the path of self-destruct and complete annexation by the executive.

    “The party, therefore, charges the members of the Kogi State House of Assembly to immediately retrace their steps and ensure that as lawmakers, they are not found on the wrong side of the law,” the statement added.

  • Why crisis persists in Kogi APC, by Speaker

    The Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Prince Mathew Kolawole, spoke with reporters in Lokoja, the state capital, on the protracted crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC), the controversial cattle colony proposed by the Federal Government, the N10 billion salary loan obtained by Governor Yahaya Bello without parliamentary approval and other partisan issues. JAMES AZANIA was there.

    What are the achievements of the Kogi State House of Assembly since last year?

    The House in 2017 decided on some bills, motions were also raised on the floor of the and resolutions passed. Among the bills passed last year was that of the criminal administration of justice which was assented to by the governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. The bill is significant to the country and it has been domesticated in kogi State, to quicken the process of criminal justice .

    Also in 2017, six bills passed through public hearing. Some of the bills has something to do with traffic laws, hotel and tourism, energy,  water snd pension reform. As soon as we return from recess, we will attend to the bills by passing them into law.

    How far has the House of Assembly gone with the passage of the budget?

    We intended to pass the budget in the month of March  after we return from recess by February 28th, but the need as shown by the executive arm of the government to commence the implementation of the budget compelled members of the assembly to quickly return to the house to attend to the budget defence by ministries, departments and agencies.

    Apparently, when we took a look at the  2018 appropriation bill, we discovered that some areas in the budget needed to be jacked up. Actually the 2018 budget as presented to the hose on December 21st, 2017 was slightly above N147 billion, but during budget defence we had to  increase it to over N151 billion for obvious reasons. For instance, N100 million was approrpiated to kogi State University, for accreditation exercise, and during the defence of the budget the management of the institution complained vehemently that the money allocated to the university will not be enough for the accreditation, and having viewed the importance of accreditation of courses to the institution being the only state university we have, we don’t have any option than to jack it up to N500 million.

    Similar consideration was rendered to College of Nursing Obangede where we also increased their budget for the purpose of accreditation. The house also considered and increased the money allocated for road construction from Okengwe to Ayere, due to some bridges involved. So, we have passed the 2018 appropriation bill and the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello had assented to the budget, which is very ready for implementation.

    There state government is allegedly planning  to sell the state’s property to finance the 2018 budget. What is the position of Kogi State House of Assembly?

    I am just hearing this for the first time and there is no way I can believe what is being posted on social media. Again, the house has not received any letter from the executive arm of government of the state to that effect and if the rumour is true definitely the house will be communicated, but for now it is still a rumour.

    What is the position of the house on the contentious local government autonomy?

    The alteration bill emanated from the National assembly and we have 15 alteration bills sent to kogi State house of assembly. In fact, at the Speaker’s conference we have looked into the bill critically and discovered that one of the contentious among the 15 items was that of the local government autonomy.

    I am a  product of local government because the votes that took me to the Assembly came from the local government. I represent Kabba/Bunu Constituency and I want the local government to enjoy autonomy, but in a situation where we want to pass a law and we discovered that there is a petition, we have to refer the bill to public hearing and that is exactly what we have done. But, some people see our action as throwing away the bill, which is not true.

    As I have said, the NUT sent a petition demanding that they should be separated from the local government autonomy, their grouse was that the local government chairmen do not pay their salaries and allowances as at when due. The NUT also demanded that their pay should come directly from the federal account .

    Even at the Speaker’s conference we resolved that the bill should not be passed until the contentious issues from the petition are solved and the only way it can be solved is by referring the bill to public hearing where the NULGE, NUT, civil society organizations and the general public will sit and discuss the issue and the petitioner has to convince us why they don’t want to be with the local government. So, as soon as we return from recess, the public hearing will commence.

    The state government took a loan of N10 billion without the approval of the houuse. Why?

    The loan was taken by the state government through a consultant which does not requir our approval. The aim of the loan was to augment what the government had, to pay the backlog of unpaid salaries of civil servants in the state.

    I was part of the committee to mediate between the organised labour in the state and the state government, before labour called off their strike and part of the resolutions during our joint meeting  was that government should pay the backlog of salaries it owed the workers in the state and what the government needed to pay the salaries was N16 billion.

    But the state government then had N6 billion from Paris Club refund and to be able to pay the salaries. Government had to quickly source for funds to pay the salaries before Christmas lsst year. So, a consultant was contacted and the state government borrowed N10 billion.

    Before the repayment the executive will have to write to us for the regularisation of the loan. That is when we will come in, because the fund is s loan not grant . We thank God today that the much noise about the non payment of salaries have died down in the state. I have to mention it categorically without mincing words that kogi State is among the few states in the country that pay minimum wage as well as relativity to its workers, which make the salaries and wages very high in the state.

    There is a general outcry over the plan for the establishment of cattle colony in the state. What is the position of the state assembly?

    In Kogi state the issue of cattle colony has been politicised to distract and discourage the good intention of the government on the best way to solve the herdsmen and farmers impasse. In fact, cattle colony is a policy of the federal government to find a lasting solution to the incessant crises between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers. The federal government only urged the state government to key into it for the realization of the policy.

    Obviously, the Land Use Act has been existing for long in this country and the Act empowered the state governors to either approve or revoke any land as the case may be. The claim that the colony was targeted at taking people’s land is not true and the house of assembly has no power to revoke the law.

    The Fulanis and our parents have been living and doing businesses together without any crises. So, if there is problem today I believe that it is better to solve the problem through dialogue, which Governor Yahaya Bello has been preaching at many fora.

    The state chapter of the APC has been enmeshed in crises in the last two years. What effort are the state legislators making to resolve the logjam.It is highly unfortunate that the crises in the kogi chapter of APC lingered till now. The crises is within the executive of the party and I believe that whatever has a beginning must also has an end.

    Sadly, even when some stakeholders were making effort to wade into the crises, the utterances of some of the executive members of the party in kogi State does not help matters. On our part as members of the party and with the governor as the leader of the party in the state, every problem within the party will be resolved so that the party remain strong to face the 2019 elections. Nevertheless, APC remains the party to beat in Kogi State and will surely win come 2019.

  • Ex-CAMPUSLIFE man bids for Kogi Assembly seat

    Ex-CAMPUSLIFE man bids for Kogi Assembly seat

    Less than a year after he completed his Master’s Degree in Conflict, Development and Security at the School of Politics and International Studies of the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom (UK), Oluwaloseyi Babaeko declared his interest in politics. The CAMPUSLIFE reporter is set to represent his Kabba/Bunu Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly. WALE AJETUNMOBI writes.

    During his days at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Oluwaloseyi Solomon Babaeko was admired by fellow students for his political activism on the campus. Courageous and outspoken, Babaeko became a thorn in the flesh of students’ leaders who reneged on their campaign promises.

    The former CAMPUSLIFE correspondent deployed his oratory and writing skills to correct several abnormalities within students’ bodies, such as the Students’ Union Government (SUG) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

    As a Master’s student of Conflict, Development and Security at the School of Politics and International Studies of the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom (UK), Babaeko became a rallying force among students of African origin, because of his activism. As the Secretary-General of Nigerian Students’ Society (NSS) at the University of Leeds, he leveraged the platform to rally support and raise funds for Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.

    The Kogi State-born graduate of Local Government Studies sees politics as a tool for social emancipation at the grassroots, and a platform to promote public good. Leaning towards the socialist ideology, Babaeko believes any political arrangement that does not empower people to fight poverty and underdevelopment at the grassroots should be changed.

    As a CAMPUSLIFE correspondent and writer, his regular contributions mainly focused on politics and nation building. Babaeko’s political involvement took another turn when he decided to play politics in the mainstream, joining the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). Last week, he announced his plan to represent Kabba/Bunu Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly in the 2019 general elections.

    On what informed his decision to join politics, Babaeko said he was disturbed by “adverse impacts” of governance on the youth and vulnerable people in his hometown, saying the high rate of joblessness in Kabba/Bunu Constituency indicated there had been no meaningful development for many years in that place.

    Quoting the words of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States (U.S.), who famously said: “The people are the only sure reliance for the preservation of liberty”, Babaeko, said he was ready to sacrifice his time and energy to bring positive change to his constituency, which he described as a “Jerusalem.”

    He said: “The pathetic and worrisome situation across the 15 wards that make up the Kabba/Bunu Constituency demands that something needs to be urgently done to salvage the situation. This is why I hearkened to the clarion call of my people to step in as the proverbial sacrificial lamb for the rescue mission to salvage the situation with a total commitment to rebuild our Jerusalem that lays in ruins.

    “The task of rebuilding and repositioning Kabba/Bunu Constituency for the benefit of the people is going to be an arduous and tasking exercise that will require collective efforts of all the people. I call on all good people of Kabba/Bunu to rise now above pettiness, religion, political affiliation and creed, and join hands in our quest to develop our constituency.”

    Babaeko said he chose to realise his political ambition on the UPN platform, because the party recognises the people as the primary focus of politics and governance. He said his programmes are people-oriented and development-focused.

    He said: “Politics is not new to me, because I have been involved in politics and nation building all my life. I studied Local Government Administration for my first degree and I have a Master’s degree in Conflict, Development and Security from the prestigious University of Leeds. My horizon is broadened, because I study and play politics. My aim to run for the Kabba/Bunu seat is not to amass needless wealth or lord it over the people. I believe my constituency can be another fast rising city if people are empowered economically and socially. My ideas and plans for the people are issues-driven and development-focused.

    “I understand the pain my people are going through, going by the failure in the current leadership. I believe 2019 presents them another ample opportunity to right the wrong choice they made in the last general election.”

    Babaeko said he would not be distracted by violence that usually marred elections in his constituency, saying that his aim is to build another Jerusalem for the Kabba/Bunu people.

    “We will show love to all and malice to none,” he said, assuring that access to quality health services and education would be his priority in the 100 days if he is elected. He also promised to build a world-class Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre to empower the youth, adding that there would be free internet access in public schools’ libraries.

  • Kogi Speaker smuggled out as suspected thugs invade chambers

    Kogi Speaker smuggled out as suspected thugs invade chambers

    Suspected thugs invaded the Kogi state house of Assembly Tuesday, while the security men attached to the complex watched helplessly as members were thoroughly molested.

    No sooner than the house convened for the day’s plenary session than thugs numbering over 100 arrived in three Hilux vans and rushed into the chamber beating members.

    Armed policemen stationed at Kogi State Assembly Complex looked helpless as hundreds of thugs invaded Assembly chambers.

    As journalists arrived the Assembly premises Tuesday morning, the environment looked tense with stern looking armed policemen covering the length and breadth of the premises.

    The ADC to Governor Yahaya Bello was at the gate discussing with some policemen.

    Kogi Police Commissioner, Wilson Inalegwu, was also on ground, told journalists he was there to ensure there is no breach of law.

    A Sienna bus belonging to Hon. Abdullahi Bello Balogun of Ajaokuta was positioned to block the gate.

    Security Adviser to Kogi State Governor, Navy Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd), Administrators of Okene, Adavi were also on ground.

    The plenary started shortly afterwards but was disrupted by thugs who chased lawmakers and people at the gallery out of the chambers.

    Speaker Imam Umar Ahmed and his security aides ran helter skelter to find their way out of the assembly that was surrounded by thugs.

    Member representing Igalamela-Odolu apparently the target and his aides were attacked.

    He was billed to resume after being cleared by the court from six months suspension.

    The thugs moved unchecked by the armed policemen present. Some of the boys left in Kogi State Government House car marked KGGH 128 (an ash colour Toyota Camry muscle).

    The thugs were also seen filming the beating as security personnel attached to the house watched helplessly while the commotion lasted.

    Journalists watching proceedings from the gallery scampered for safety with some scaling the fence of the Assembly complex.

    Meanwhile, the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has condemned the assembly invasion, saying that his administration will not condone any act of thuggery.

    He added that anyone caught would be made to face the full weight of law.

    Speaking through his Director General, Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo, the Governor ordered his security adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (retd), to  liaise with security operatives to ensure that perpetrators were brought to book.

     

  • Kogi assembly pass vote of confidence in Bello 

    Kogi assembly pass vote of confidence in Bello 

    The Kogi State House of Assembly Wednesday passed a vote of confidence in Governor Yahaya Bello for his developmental strides and determination to reposition the state.

    The motion was moved by the Majority Leader and member representing Kabba/Bunu onstituency, Prince Yomi Kolawole.

    The assembly in a unanimous decision said that the governor has created the right atmosphere for development in the state, hailing the governor’s giant strides in his first 365 days in office under the New Direction Agenda.

    The house said that it was satisfied with the policy direction of government and expressed readiness to cooperate with the governor to actualize his dream of developing Kogi State.

    Reacting to the vote of confidence by the legislative arm, the Director General on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Kingsley Fanwo, hailed the house of assembly for their “collaborative efforts at developing Kogi State”, saying the vote of confidence will spur the governor into “doing more for the good people of Kogi State”.

    He added: “Through the oversight function of the house, the governor has been able to achieve a lot. Governor Yahaya Bello will continue to work with the legislature to develop Kogi State.

    “The governor holds the house in high esteem and will seek checks, as well as cooperation from the honourable house to deliver on his mandate to the people. He will never betray the confidence of the house in him.

    “These are the true representatives of the Kogi people. These honourable members have shown they have the interest of the people at heart. The vote of confidence belongs to all Kogites who believe Kogi resources should be used for public good rather than be used to service a few who have no interest of the people at heart.

    “Governor Yahaya Bello wishes to assure the honourable members of the house that the staff verification exercise which is in the last stage of listening to appeals, will be rounded up within the stipulated period in order to have a civil service that is capable if meeting the aspirations of the Kogi people”.

  • Drama as G-15 members convene sitting at KOGI assembly

    Drama as G-15 members convene sitting at KOGI assembly

    Drama was not in short supply Thursday at the Kogi State House of Assembly, as the G-15 members, including speaker, Momohjimoh Lawal convened sitting after months of shutout by the G-5 members, led by Hon. Unar Imam.

    The G-15 lawmakers came fully ready, including the mace-bearing Sergeant-at-arms.

    Lawal was reinstated by the Federal High Court in Abuja last week.

    From the main entrance, to the assembly complex where there was heavy presence of security details, including the police, operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), when they arrived the complex, the G-15 members made to commence plenary, but found the gate under lock and key.

    After verbal altercations between them and the security agents, the main gate and chamber door were forced open to enable them begin the business of the day.

    The security agents made to prevent the lawmakers, but they stood their ground, with some of them shouting, “kill us now, kill us now, kill us now, as they moved towards the hallow chamber where they sat briefly and conducted legislative duty.

    It was gathered that the assembly staff who had earlier reported for the day’s work were instructed to leave.

    They were said to have locked their offices when information filtered in that the G-15 members were on their way to resume.

    It was hinted that the Chief of Staff to Imam instructed the workers to close down the complex and go into hiding.

    At the plenary session, Deputy Majority leader, Hon. Sunday Shigaba moved the motion for the lifting of the purported suspension of 10 members by the G-5, and called for the extension of hands of fellowship to those members on other side of the divide. It was seconded by Hon. Ade Omofaye representing Ijumu constituency.

    Lawal commended the gallantry and selfless sacrifice of every member “who in the face of all the challenges stood against injustices and anti democratic tendencies at was at play”.

    He added: “Our struggle for the entrenchment of democracy in Kogi state has paid off with the judicial pronouncement made on Thursday 19th May, 2016 . Permit me to commend the judiciary for standing by the truth”.

    Motion for adjournment till 30th May, 2016 was moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Mathew Kolawole and seconded by Hon. Linus Eneche.

    While the plenary session was in progress, a detachment of policemen led by the State Commissioner of Police, Yakubu Usman, arrived the assembly complex.

    With the arrival of the CP, another round of argument ensued between him and the legislators who maintained they were doing their legitimate duty as members of the Kogi State House of Assembly.

    The scene later became rowdy, as policemen began the arrest of those they described as thugs.

    The CP while fielding questions from newsmen, later at the command headquarters, said he was informed that thugs had taken over the assembly complex, hence he reinforced the detachment of police to arrest the situation.

    The DSS boss who was also on the ground, said that he was there to asses situation in the complex.

    The Police Command disclosed that it arrested four suspected thugs at the assembly complex.

    While parading the suspect at Command headquarters Lokoja, CP Yakubu Usman stated he had a distress call that thugs have invaded the Kogi House of Assembly.

    The suspect’s however protested vehemently, with one of them, Abdullahi Yakubu insisting that he is the personal assistant to Hon. Idris Ndakwo, member representing Lokoja II.

    He said they were picked at Crusher village where his principal parked his car.

    The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, last week ordered the G-15 members to return to the house and ordered that the status quo be maintained.

     

  • Nine-member Kogi assembly suspends embattled speaker, others

    Nine members of the Kogi State House of Assembly loyal to Hon. Umar Imam, have suspended “10” of their colleagues, including the embattled speaker, Hon. Momoh Jimoh Lawal, for their alleged involvement in the leadership crisis rocking the legislative chambers since November, last year.

    The suspension order issued on the floor of the assembly at plenary on Tuesday followed the adoption of a report of the ad-hoc committee commissioned on March 10.

    The committee was charged with investigating “the sponsorship of the crisis and involvement of the National Assembly and its failure to ensure due process even at the instance of a court injunction”.

    Chairman of the committee, Hon. John Abah (PDP-Ibaji), while presenting the report said the committee found that the House of Representatives was misguided by ”interested members who had an interest in the crisis.”

    He said that the situation in the state had not deteriorated into a breakdown of law and order for the National Assembly to exercise its powers in invoking section 11(4), and leaving out the provision of 11 (5) of the Constitution.

    He added: “The 10 members had persistently fuelled the crisis and made it extremely difficult for the house to resolve the leadership impasse peacefully for the house to carry out its lawful and constitutional responsibilities”.

    The committee, according him, recommended that all legal processes instituted in various courts be exhaustively determined to ensure due process, rule of law and justice to all parties.

    Others suspended include Matthew Kolawole (PDP-Kabba-Bunu), Aliyu Akuh (PDP-Omala), Victor Omofaiye (PDP-Ijumu) andSunday Shigaba (PDP-Bassa).

    Others are Alfa Momoh-Rabiu (APC-Ankpa II), Enenche Linus (APC-Olamaboro), Obaro Pedro (APC-Mopa-Muro), Ndako Idris (APC-Lokoja II) and Zakari Osewu (APC-Kogi-KK).

    Seconding the motion for adoption of the report, the factional Majority Leader, Friday Sanni (PDP-Igalamela-Odolu) urged the house to adopt the three recommendations of the committee.

    The Speaker, Umar Imam in his ruling adopted the recommendations as prayed following overwhelming voice votes in favour of the report.

  • No crisis in Kogi State – Governor

    No crisis in Kogi State – Governor

    The Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello on Wednesday said that there is no crisis in the House of Assembly and the state in general.

    He made the remark while speaking to State House correspondents after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, the House of Assembly is sitting and all legislative works are ongoing.

    Ruling out crisis in the state, he said: “My house is sitting and we have absolute peace in Kogi state, I am not aware of that.  The National Assembly was supposed to have taken over, the state is absolutely in peace and the legislative activities are ongoing.

    “I am the executive and the executive is functioning and we are doing the best we can, so legislature is their own business and they are on it.

    “I have a speaker that is sitting right now. So I don’t know if there is any problem there.” He added

    On the application for bail-out funds for his state, he said: “We applied for it and its under processing right now I have not gotten any bail-out yet.

    “Well I think to the best of my knowledge, the last administration either did not go on with the process properly, we are now to trying to correct whatever was not done properly, so that we can access it for our people.”

    He urged the people of his state to remain calm, noting that the state has suffered for a long time.

    “This is not the time for political crisis. This is the time to work and I am here to work. I am not here to have any political fuss with anybody; whoever is ready should join me and let’s fix Kogi state,” he stated.

  • Kogi Assembly sealed off

    Kogi Assembly sealed off

    The police Wednesday morning sealed off the Kogi State House of Assembly (KSHA).

    The development which took the workers of the state assembly by surprise apparently because of initial inaction of the police to effect the Senate order for Inspector General to shut the assemble over the lingering crisis that has grounded legislative work in the state.

    An assembly worker who spoke under the condition of anonymity confirmed the development to our correspondent, saying, “They (the police) came sometime after 10 o’clock this morning (Wednesday)”.

    Another source however debunked the shutting of the assembly by the police, saying that the issue was “resolved”.

    The source who pleaded anonymity said workers were in their offices as at the time the Police came.

    “Yes, they have resolved it. The police came but they spoke over the matter and the issue was resolved,” the source said.

    The source, a lady, however added that lawmakers were yet to be allowed into the assembly complex”.

    The House of Representatives which instituted a fact finding committee to look into the Kogi assembly crisis has since taken over its activities, followed by the Senate, which endorsed the close order.

    The police has since the order looked the other way while the Umar Imam-led faction (G-5) of the assembly continued sitting, until around 10am Wednesday morning, when people were ordered out of the complex, while the Momoh Jimoh-Lawal faction otherwise known as G-15, which took its case before the National Assembly, have since stated away from the assembly.