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Tag: TANKO AL-MAKURA

  • Al -Makura denies fresh killings in Nasarawa

    Al -Makura denies fresh killings in Nasarawa

    The Governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura , on Friday denied report of fresh killings in the state.

    Speaking with State House Correspondents after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the governor said the present peace in Nasarawa has been unprecedented.

    He said “People, I mean citizens of Nasarawa State are jubilating and are happy that the peace that has been attained through community-based mechanism that everybody was participating has yielded results.

    “We are enjoying unfettered peaceful co-existence in the state. So it will be surprising for anybody to speculate and raise an alarm where there is none.

    According to him, the rate of crime in the state has drastically reduced to a point of no criminality.

    Al Makura added: “We don’t have anything like that, even the rate of crime in the state has really subsided because the security operatives and the residents are working in synergy to ensure that miscreants and bad eggs amongst us find another environment.

    “So I think that is speculative and that is casting aspersions that is negative on the state. It is very unkind for anybody to insinuate that there is anything like that in Nasarawa State,

    “I’m telling you with every sense of responsibility that the citizens of Nasarawa State are enjoying better than ever before a peaceful environment where they are working in synergy with security operatives.”

    He also said his government was doing everything possible to address the flooding in Mararaba and other parts of the state.

     

  • Nasarawa quakes as Ombatse kills three in reprisals

    Nasarawa quakes as Ombatse kills three in reprisals

    Following reprisals by Ombatse militia, three people were yesterday killed on the outskirts of Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

    The development has created tension in Lafia. Movement is restricted. Commercial motorcyclists are to operate from 6am to 6pm.

    The whereabouts of the spiritual leader of the Ombatse cult, Baba Alakyo, was unknown last night.

    Governor Tanko Al-Makura, told our reporter on the telephone that there was no cause for alarm.

    The Ombatse militia regrouped yesterday, following the invasion of Alakyo by Fulani gunmen, who were after rustlers who carted away about 500 cows.

    It was gathered that as early as 6am, the militia invaded Akurba Sonya, Alago settlement and Shabu, among others.

    There were reported clashes between Eggon people and Kambari boys, and Eggon and Gwamdara.

    There were gun shots all through the day in Kilema, Tudun Gwandara and Tudun Amba in Lafia, but attempts to seize the state capital were resisted by the police and security agents.

    Residents stayed indoors amid fears of likely invasion of the state capital.

    A source said: “The sack of Alakyo on Sunday by gunmen shocked Ombatse militia who woke up yesterday to launch a revenge mission. They only succeeded in attacking some outskirts of Lafia.

    “They were able to attack some villages in the outskirts of Lafia where three people were killed and many injured. Some of the survivors put the death toll at 12 but so far, we were able to confirm three deaths.

    “The militia men were angry because the whereabouts of the spiritual leader of Ombatse was still unknown. There were speculations that Baba Alakyo might have been killed but no one confirmed it. What was evident was that the entire Alakyo village was razed down and Baba

    Alakyo cannot be located yet.”

    “Another source added: “While some people were killed between Eggon and Gwandara, others were killed around Eggon- Kambari axis. Many houses were also burnt by the rampaging militia.

    “The militia has been trying to close in on Lafia, which is about 10 kilometres to Alakyo, but they have not succeeded because of water-tight security.

    Schools on the outskirts of Lafia have been forced to shut down .

    Last night, Governor Al-Makura, who is in Lafia, said: “There is no cause for alarm. The government, the police and the security agencies have collaborated to put the situation under control.

    “We have not imposed curfew but we have restricted the movement of commercial motorcyclists from 6am to 6pm as part of proactive security measures.

    “Apart from the restriction of Okada motorcyclists, all citizens and residents in the state, including Lafia, are free to go about their normal business.

    “I appeal to the people of the state to report suspicious movement to the relevant security agency. We will ensure that every part of the state, including Lafia, is fully protected.”

     

  • Al Makura: Why commissioners were sacked

    Al Makura: Why commissioners were sacked

    Nasarawa State governor, Umar Tanko Al-Makura, has described as a routine exercise, the sack of eight commissioners and five other political appointees last week.

    Al-Makura dismissed as untrue, insinuations of betrayal and insubordination as reasons for the removal of the commissioners from the cabinet.

    The governor, who spoke with The Nation through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Abdulhamid Kwarra, explained that those affected were dropped from the cabinet because of their political ambitions, as they were set to contest elective posts in 2015.

    He said government machinery has to move on, to continue delivering dividends of democracy to the people, stressing that he was determined to expand the scope of infrastructural developments and economic growth in the state.

    Speaking on the recent security challenge, he said everything is now under control as more security forces have been deployed to strategic areas and other flash points.

    “The state is calm and peaceful now, people are going about their normal businesses and we would continue to watch developments closely,” the governor said.

    He enjoined the people to cooperate and support government’s peace-building efforts, stressing that no meaningful development takes place in an environment that is devoid of peace.

     

  • Heretics of Nasarawa

    Heretics of Nasarawa

    AFTER failing disastrously in its convoluted and now apparently interminable battle to impeach Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, the state House of Assembly has finally gone berserk. The struggle by the Peoples Democratic Party-dominated assembly to get rid of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governor began sometime last month, though inklings of the premeditated plot now believed to be inspired by the Goodluck Jonathan presidency were first heard in February. Unexpectedly, it will be recalled, the governor outfoxed the lawmakers by extricating himself from the Assembly’s noose.

    By the time the state Chief Judge, Suleiman Dikko, set up the investigative panel to look into the allegations against the governor, it was already too late to preempt him, not to talk of overturning his actions. Consequently, the seven-man panel exonerated the governor from all blame. Had the lawmakers then licked their wounds and let sleeping dogs lie, they probably would have left some favourable impression in the minds of the public. Instead, they resolved not to let bad enough alone.

    Unable to get Justice Dikko to reverse himself before, during and after the panel’s investigations, they have now unconstitutionally resolved to ask the vacation judge standing in for the Chief Judge to constitute another panel in their loathsome determination to nail the governor at any cost. Here again the lawmakers have met with unexpected difficulties. So, they have clumsily and indulgently petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) to punish Justice Dikko.

    But whether in their effort to arm-twist the vacation judge or mislead the NJC, it is hard to understand why and how the lawmakers don’t reel under the weight of their own folly and excesses. Do they presume that the stand-in judge is immune or indifferent to the political intrigues of the PDP dominated assembly? Do they think the NJC is full of dimwits who can’t tell the difference between crazy political plots and noble judicial exercises? It is unlikely the Nasarawa House of Assembly can find a judge to do their untidy bidding. And certainly, they are even more unlikely to receive anything but thorough tongue-lashing from the NJC. The lawmakers have not just portrayed themselves as immature and incompetent, they have betrayed the fact the presidency has tried to hide, to wit, that the plot is not just a brainwave of the Assembly but a direct and indecent plot by President Jonathan’s government to create a national framework and atmosphere for his re-election.

    It is not certain how much infamy Nigerians can tolerate from their rulers before their prolonged anguish is brought to an end. Who, for instance, can contemplate without his heart bleeding the legislative coup masterminded by the Adamawa House of Assembly, whose arrowhead, the boisterous and immoderate Umaru Fintiri, now Acting Governor, is about to be surprised by the manipulative PDP leaders in Abuja? By the presidency’s calculations, the more states come firmly under the control of the PDP, the brighter the chances of President Jonathan who is set to declare his interest for a second term in the next few days.

    By all means, let President Jonathan contest in 2015, and let the PDP continue to plot to drive the country insanely towards a one-party state. But in the name of God, let them work towards their disgraceful goals like men and women, party and leaders, possessing class and dignity.

  • Panel’s verdict and Nasarawa Assembly

    SIR: There is no way to describe the outcome of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly’s unsuccessful impeachment move against Governor Tanko Al-Makura than to say that it is a boost to our constitutional democracy much as it will, in the meantime, reduce such sinister ambition being nursed by other states Houses of Assembly. From all indication, the peevish lawmakers went to equity with soiled hands. And it follows naturally that they got what they bargained for. Others should draw a lesson from this.

    To be sure, the lawmakers had instituted an impeachment procedure against the governor few days ago, apparently drawing inspiration from the Adamawa’s imbroglio wherein Governor Murtala Murtala Nyako was kicked out of office by their Yola counterparts. Surely, the so-called gross misconduct levelled against Al-Makura was nothing but a smokescreen by the lawmakers who had set out ab initio to see the exit of the governor at all cost. The motive was as selfish as it was victimising. Like the Adamawa’s case, the said offences were not committed recently; they are as old as the present House and yet they wanted the public to believe that what appeared like their sudden wake from a long slumber was done in the best interest of the state. They merely took the advantage of the porous nature of our impeachment law to settle a political score with the governor, the same way and manner the Ebonyi state House of Assembly recently squared up with its speaker and the ongoing charade in Enugu state. All these are 2015 general election manoeuvring and nothing more!

    Clearly, the lawmakers allowed their personal ego to diminish the interest of the poor majority of the state on whose back they rode to prominence. This was eloquently evident in the manner they attempted to usurp the powers of the panel and the Chief Judge. By asking the latter to “reconstitute” the panel, the lawmakers demonstrated their poor understanding of Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended) on which they relied to initiate the now infamous proceeding. Perhaps, they failed to realise that the Chief Judge of a state, as far as impeachment procedure is concerned, becomes functus officio the moment he constitutes the panel as required by Section 188 (5) of the same law, implying that he (the CJ) cannot interfere with panel’s affairs and proceedings thereafter. The House cannot be a judge in its own case. This is the rational behind the above provision.

    The insistence of the lawmakers to carry on with the impeachment of the governor, notwithstanding the dismissal of the charge against him on the issue by the panel, is a clear indication that they are fully determined to plunge the state into political unrest. The threat is misconceived, unnecessary and unfounded. The Musa Ahmed-led house needs to take another closer look (assuming they did that before) of Section 188 (8) of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended) with a particular attention to the phrase “No further proceeding shall be taken in respect of the matter” in that provision. In case they are still confused after perusing that Section they should see the case of Dapianlong v Dariye (2007) 8 NWLR (PT. 1036) 332, Per Ogbuagu JSC (as he then was) where he stated explicitly that “The impeachment or removal of a Governor is a serious business or matter and therefore, the provisions of Section 188 of the Constitution must be strictly complied with”.

    Similarly, the House’s contention that Subsection (7) of the said Constitution was not complied with by the panel, in my own view, is hollow. The said provision does not give the lawmakers exclusive power to prescribe the procedure(s) for the panel. The fact that the provision uses the word “may” clearly suggest that either the house or the panel could set the procedure. The panel’s finding cannot be defeated only on the ground that it did not wait for the non cooperative House to set a guideline for her sitting. Equity regards substance rather than form. The House has two options in the ensuing farce; challenge the report of the panel in a court of competent jurisdiction or eat the humble pie and allow the electorates to decide the fate of the governor through the next year’s election.

     

    • Barrister Okoro Gabriel,

     

  • ‘Nasarawa lawmakers rebuffed Jonathan’s peace moves’

    The Minority Leader at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Mr. Tanko Maikatako, has revealed that President Goodluck Jonathan’s efforts to amicably settle the dispute between the lawmakers and Governor Umaru Almakura were rejected.

    “The President’s efforts toward peace were not successful due to selfishness among the law makers,” Maikatako, who represents Lafia Central constituency, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Lafia.

    According to him, Jonathan had appealed to the lawmakers to opt for dialogue rather than impeaching Al-Makura, but the legislators insisted on removing the governor.

    “The President met with us and appealed to us to go back and meet with the governors to iron out the issues, but the members refused,” he said.

    Maikatako, a member of the All Progressives Congress, said he was very surprised at that development.

    “We don’t know why it happened that way. If the president himself, the Peoples Democratic Party leader in the country, appealed to his colleagues to return to Nasarawa, meet the governor to iron out issues, they should have come back,” he opined.

    Maikatako frowned at the attitude of his 20 colleagues and declared that their insistence on ignoring Jonathan’s peace offer snowballed into the political crisis.

    “Their resolve to go ahead with the impeachment of Governor Umaru Al-Makura was selfishly motivated,” said Maikatako, who claimed that the lawmakers did not have an iota of evidence to substantiate their claims against Al-Makura.

    “They abandoned all the allegations they levelled against the governor; that means that the allegations were baseless. One can therefore conclude that the panel did its job.

    “As it is, the lawmakers must come back. That was what Mr. President advised them to do; they must meet the governor and iron out the issues,” he said.

     

  • Rejecting panel’s report on Al-Makura dangerous, says Falana

    Rejecting panel’s report on Al-Makura dangerous, says Falana

    Lagos lawyer Mr Femi Falana (SAN) has said the leadership of the Nasarawa House of Assembly lacks the power to reject the report of the panel which exonerated Governor Tanko Al-Makura of alleged criminal offences.

    In a statement last night in Lagos, Falana noted that the statement credited to the leadership of the Asembly, that it would reject the panel’s report, was borne out of ignorance.

    He said: “It is a reckless invitation to anarchy. The impunity of the Assembly must be halted without any further delay.”

    The frontline lawyer noted that contrary to the position of its leadership, the Assembly could no longer bring charges against Al-Makura under the constitution, having failed to prove its allegations against the governor.

    The activist recalled that on receipt of the allegations of impeachable offences against the governor, the Chief Judge set up a seven-member impeachment panel in compliance with the provisions of Section 188 of the Constitution.

    Falana said the panel sat on Monday and yesterday and waited in vain for the Assembly to prove its charges against Al-Makura.

    The lawyer said instead of taking up the challenge, the Assembly members shunned the panel’s invitation.

    He said: “As the allegations were deemed abandoned by the Assembly, the panel rightly dismissed the charges and found the governor not guilty.

    “Under the Nigerian legal system, it is trite that he who asserts must prove. Since the allegations against the governor were criminal in nature, the Assembly members were required to prove them beyond reasonable doubt.

    “Since the Assembly failed to prove the allegations in any material particular, the panel cannot be faulted for dismissing them in toto.

    “It is pertinent to state that by virtue of Section 188(8) of the Constitution, no further proceedings shall arise from the notice of impeachment once the governor has been found not guilty by the panel duly constituted by the Chief Judge.”

     

  • Impeachment: Al-Makura heads for court

    Impeachment: Al-Makura heads for court

    Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura has sued the state’s House of Assembly and its 24 members, challenging the competence of the notice of impeachment issued against him by the lawmakers.

    The governor, in a suit he filed before the state’s High Court, Lafia, seeks the interpretation and enforcement of sections 36(1) and 188(1)(2)(3)(4) and (5) of the Constitution.

    Al-Makura, in the suit filed for him by his lawyer, Udechukwu Udechukwu (SAN), leading Funke Aboyade (SAN) and seven others, argued that the lawmakers’ failure to serve him the notice of impeachment, as required by the Constitution, rendered the purported impeachment notice a nullity.

    According to a supporting affidavit deposed to by the governor’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, the governor made unsuccessful efforts to obtain the impeachment notice when the House of Assembly failed to serve him as required by the Constitution.

    The governor, in the court processes made available to The Nation in Abuja yesterday, urged the court to either quash or set aside the impeachment notice allegedly issued by the House of Assembly.

    He asked the court to declare that the notice of impeachment published on July 17th, 2014 by the clerk of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly was unconstitutional or invalid within the meaning of section 188 (2) of the constitution.

    Al-Makura is seeking a declaration that the notice was not served on him- in line with sections 36(1) , 188(2) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution and, therefore, he was not obliged to respond to it.

    He wants the court to declare that having regard to the provisions of sections 36(1) and 188(1)-(9) of the constitution, the lawmakers have no authority to issue the notice of impeachment dated July 14th, 2014 wherein they purported to have found the plaintiff guilty of gross misconduct, even before any inquiry into the allegations made by them when no notice of allegations was served on him.

    It is also the governor’s prayer that the court hold that the publication “of a purported notice of impeachment dated July 14th, 2014 by the Clerk of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly in the Daily Trust newspaper of July 17th, 2014, or any other newspapers cannot amount to service of the same on the governor of Nasarawa State within the context of Section 188 (2) of the constitution.”

    The case is yet to be assigned to any judge for hearing.

  • Impeachment: Al-Makura goes to court

    The Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura has sued the state’s House of Assembly and its 24 members, challenging the competence of the impeachment notice issued against him by the lawmakers.

    The governor, in a suit he filed before the state’s High Court, Lafia, seeks the interpretation and enforcement of sections 36(1) and 188(1)(2)(3)(4) and (5) of the Constitution.

    Governor Al-Makura, in the suit filed for him by his lawyer, Udechuchuwu Udechukwu (SAN), leading Funke Aboyade (SAN) and seven others, argued that the lawmakers’ failure to serve him the notice of impeachment, as required by the Constitution, rendered the purported impeachment notice a nullity.

    In a supporting affidavit deposed to by the governor’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, it was stated that the governor made unsuccessful efforts to obtain the impeachment notice when the House of Assembly failed to serve him as required by the Constitution.

    The governor, in the court processes made available to The Nation in Abuja on Monday, urged the court to either quash or set aside the impeachment notice allegedly issued by the House.

    He asked the court to declare that the notice of impeachment published on July 17 by the clerk of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly was unconstitutional or invalid within the meaning of section 188 (2) of the constitution.

    Al-Makura is equally seeking a declaration that the notice was not served on him in line with sections 36(1), 188(2) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution and therefore that he was not obliged to respond to it.

  • Al- Makura appears before panel, dismisses allegations

    Al- Makura appears before panel, dismisses allegations

    Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has dismissed as spurious and unfounded the 16-count allegations of misconduct levelled against him by the state House of Assembly.

    His lawyers also urged the panel to “enter a notice of dismissal of the impeachment notice served on the governor for wants of proof” of the allegations.

    Al- Makura, who appeared on Monday before the seven-man panel constituted by the state Chief Judge, Suleiman Dikko, said appearing in person before the panel was to set the records straight and in line with his deep respect for the rule of law and the constitution of the Country.

    The governor, who made his way into the premises of the state ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and headed straight into the Conference Hall of the building at about 10am amidst tight security, looked calm and unperturbed.

    As soon as he was introduced to make his defense, Almakura told the investigative panel headed by Yusuf Shehu Usman that he had done nothing wrong in the course of discharging his responsibility as the governor of the state. He noted that up till the time of his appearing before the panel he was yet to be served any notice by the House of Assembly.

    Al- Makura said: “I must state, Mr. Chairman, and panel members that making this appearance in person and for the records, I want to say I was not served any notice by the House of Assembly. I am appearing in response to the hearing notice served on me by the panel and my appearance is to defend myself and clear my name against these spurious and unfounded allegations made against me.

    “I intend to defend myself during the proceedings by my representatives who will carry on. I have already prepared my defense and I have been informed by my counsel that it has been prepared and filed accordingly.”

    He also hinted that those who preferred allegations against him and accused him of misconduct not only erred in the ways and manner they pursued their goals but violated the constitution of the country, stressing that at the proper time he would challenge them in Court for the violation of the constitution.

    “What this panel is doing today is a call to duty in compliance with the constitution of Nigeria. The activities and result of this panel’s proceeding will determine the wellbeing of the state. I pray that God guides the panel to do what is right for the people of the state, the constitution and the country,” the governor stated.

    However, shortly after the governor’s remarks, his counsel led by U. N Udechukwu (SAN) pleaded with the panel to allow the governor take his leave in order to attend to other matters concerning the state.

    The Chairman of the panel, Yusuf Usman, in his remarks, said members of the panel have agreed that the lawmakers be given the opportunity to appear before the panel in the interest of justice and fair play.

    “We therefore give them opportunity to appear before the panel on Tuesday while hearing notices be served on them,” Usman stated.