In a controversial and dramatic manner, the Kogi State House of Assembly yesterday removed the principal officers from office.
Twelve out of the 25- member assembly attended the session where the speaker and other principal officers were impeached. 17 of the lawmakers allegedly signed the impeachment document.
During the emergency session,Hon. Paul Gowon representing Dekina/Biraidu constituency said the house could not afford to perpetually be on recess when the state was being confonted with challenges.
He opined that they have decided to sit and review the situation since they could not fold their arms when the state was passing through crisis.
The member representing Lokoja 11 constituency,Shehu Idris subsequently moved a motion, nominating Hon. Gabriel Daudu as protem speaker to preside over the affairs of the house;which was seconded by Friday Sani.
The protem speaker had barely taken his sit when Paul Gowon moved a motion of urgent public importance, calling for the removal of the principal officers of the house for non performance.
He particularly lampooned the former speaker for alleged high handedness,misconduct and dereliction of duty, citing section 92 (2c) of the constitution as a guide.
The motion for the removal of Hon. Abdullahi Bello and other principal officers was seconded by Shehu Idris.
Subsequently, Lawal Jimoh representing Okene 11 constituency was unanimously elected as speaker, Christoper Atule from Ibaji constituency deputy speaker, Aliyu Akuh from Omala constituency,majority leader, Sunday Shigaba from Bassa constituency as minority leader, while Suleiman Babadoko emerged chief whip.
In a swift reaction, the embattled speaker, Abdullahi Bello said the action of those who purportedly removed him from office is an abuse of house procedure and rules.
He noted that if there was any need for the house to convene on emergency,the information would have come from him,even as he insisted that they were on recess due to oversight function and budget appraisal.
He further posited that for the principal officers to be impeached,the constitution stipulated 2/3 of the majority members,adding ‘as you can see,13 of us are here for the press briefing,so who are the 17 members that removed the pricipal members when we are 25 in the house’.
Bello therefore described the removal of the house leadership as unlawful, unconstitutional and null and void,saying they would accordingly resume for the plenary on 18th of this month.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of Action Congress of Nigeria(ANC), Otunba Dino Melaye, yesterday described the purported impeachment of speaker of the Kogi state House of Assembly,Bello Abdullahi together with other principals of the state legislature by eleven lawmakers as an unacceptable political rascality.
Melaye, a lawmaker who represented Kogi Federal constituency in the sixth national assembly,stated that the purported impeachment of the principal lawmakers yesterday was masterminded by the state governor,Idris Wada,adding that he offered N50m each to lawmakers who agreed to carry out the purported impeachment.