(Photo:Gov Babangida-Watching events closely)
Members of the Niger state House of Assembly on Tuesday impeached the Speaker of the House, Mr Adamu Usman, his deputy, Mr Abdulrahaman Bala, the Chief Whip, Abdullahi Lawal and Majority Leader,. Haruna Labaran.
The members who sat despite the obstacle put in place by security agents to prevent them from sitting carried out their decision after forming the needed quorum.
Indication to the removal of the Speaker emerged as early as 7.30 when all roads leading to the Assembly were closed to both human and vehicular movement with heavy security presence around the Assembly and the state capital, Minna.
Out of 25 members of the House of Assembly, only 19 members were present.
The member representing Agaie constituency, Abdullahi Akwanu who is the house chairman, business and rule, told the House that after the House executive meeting on Monday, it was agreed that the house should sit on Tuesday.He expressed surprise that no leader of the house, including the speaker was around for the sitting.
He therefore drew the attention of the house to order 8 of the house standing rule which provides that in the absence of the speaker from the house without any reason, a speaker pro tempore be appointed to enable the proceeding of the house.
Consequently a motion was moved by Usman Dada, representing Bosso Constituencyfor the appointment of a speaker pro tempore and this was seconded by another member.
Isah Kawu, representing Bida 1 was immediately nominated for the position of the speaker pro tempo by Abdullahi Akwanu and this was seconded by Jacob Maggi Gana, representing Lavun Constituency.
There after, Gana told the house that the refusal of the leadership of the house show up after it was agreed from the executive meeting on Monday has caused the some level of embarrassment and therefore moved for the removal of the leadership.
His motion was seconded by member representing Paikoro Constituency, Yusuf Kure. After sacking the leadership of the house, the speaker temporal then called for nomination for the new leadership of the house.
Gana immediately nominated the speaker pro tempore, Isah Kawu as the new speaker of the house, Bello Ahmed (Agwara) Deputy speaker, Yusuf Kure(Paikoro) Majority leader, while Sa’adatu Kolo(Mashehu) Chief Whip.
The new speaker was immediately sworn in by the Clark of the house, Mallam Adamu Kagara
Meanwhile, the embattled Speaker of the Niger state House of Assembly has declared that he still remains the Speaker of the NSHA while the leadership of the House remains the valid leaders of the House describing the process declaring his removal as illegal and unconstitutional.
“I am still the Speaker of the Niger state House of Assembly having been elected since May 22, 2012. The impeachment is illegal and unconstitutional. The leadership of the House still remains the valid leaders of the House. Lots of issues have emerged but no one has accused us of misconduct or financial misappropriation.”
According to him, the sitting which led to the declaration of his impeachment had no mace which is the symbol of authority adding that there was also an order of interim injunction from the High court in Minna restraining the members from jointly and severally setting in motion any process of impeachment pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
Speaking to newsmen after the announcement of his impeachment, Adamu said that the bone of contention is the finances of the Assembly as the House has not received overhead cost for three months,which he said was because of the economic meltdown from the federation account.
He added that the reason given by the members was not legitimate reasons for his removal stressing that all the reasons given were personal. “The issue is fundamentally finance, it is between the legislature and the executive, I am also affected. No money has been given to me that I did not give back to them. The leadership has been trying to talk to the executive to ensure the overhead cost isreleased but the executive has been saying there is no money.”
He also alerted the Governor to be alert as his impeachment was one of the ways to impeach the governor, “I want to alert the governor to be prepared because tomorrow, the members may serve an impeachment notice on him. Today may be my impeachment, tomorrow, it will be the governor.”
In fact, earlier reports Tuesday said the governor was the target of an impeachment plot and the removal of the speaker seemed quite surprising.
However, addressing newsmen, the new Speaker of the NSHA, Isah Kawu denied moves of the House to impeach the governor while stating that the House never received any injunction restraining it from impeaching the former Speaker.
He said that the decision to impeach the Speaker was in conformity with the rules of the game adding that the impeachment stands as the needed quorum needed to remove the Speaker was in order.
Kawu then frowned at the involvement of the Police and other security agencies for trying to create problem and cause crisis where there was no reason for such.
He allayed the fears of the people in the state that there will be no crisis saying, “there were few nuts and dots that we are supposed to put in some commas and full stop which we had to do, there is nothing to fear .”
