Outspoken former Governor of Kaduna State ,Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar(rtd) has warned Nasarawa State lawmakers against any further impeachment move against Governor Tanko Al-Makura.Umar described the insistence of the lawmakers on proceeding with an impeachment process even after the governor has been cleared by a panel set set up by the Chief Judge “as dangerous politics of brinkmanship which can only result in serious security breach in the state”.
Umar in a statement Thursday evening said, “The decision by the Nasarawa state PDP controlled legislature to insist on proceeding with the impeachment of Governor Tanko Almakura even after the panel set up by the Chief Judge of the state found no merit in the allegations can best be described as dangerous politics of brinkmanship which can only result in serious security breach in the state.
He said further that “Nigerians are not fooled by the antics of the legislators who would want us to believe that the impeachment is necessitated by the need of good governance in the state. All evidence points to the unpopularity of their action which has so far elicited strident opposition from both traditional and religious leaders as indeed the general public in the state.
According to Umar, “It has become incumbent on all people of goodwill to oppose and speak out against this dangerous abuse of legislative powers. The provision of the impeachment clause in our extant constitution does not envisage such abuse as we see in the action of the Nasarawa legislature.
“We therefore appeal to them to exercise their powers with due regard to the general interest of their people and not in pursuit of their narrow partisan political interests as is clearly the case in this impeachment gambit”,Umar said.
FOR THE RECORD: READ THE FULL TEXT OF UMAR’S STATEMENT TODAY BELOW :
LEGISLATIVE DESPOTISM IN NASARAWA STATE
The decision by the Nasarawa state PDP controlled legislature to insist on proceeding with the impeachment of Governor Tanko Almakura even after the panel set up by the Chief Judge of the state found no merit in the allegations can best be described as dangerous politics of brinkmanship which can only result in serious security breach in the state.
Nigerians are not fooled by the antics of the legislators who would want us to believe that the impeachment is necessitated by the need of good governance in the state. All evidence points to the unpopularity of their action which has so far elicited strident opposition from both traditional and religious leaders as indeed the general public in the state.
It has become incumbent on all people of goodwill to oppose and speak out against this dangerous abuse of legislative powers. The provision of the impeachment clause in our extant constitution does not envisage such abuse as we see in the action of the Nasarawa legislature.
We therefore appeal to them to exercise their powers with due regard to the general interest of their people and not in pursuit of their narrow partisan political interests as is clearly the case in this impeachment gambit.
COLONEL ABUBAKAR DANGIWA UMAR
