Kogi Assembly Impeaches 4 Principal Officers, Suspends 3

Seventeen members of the Kogi House of Assembly have impeached four principal officers over alleged acts of gross misconduct. The House also suspended three other lawmakers.

The impeachment and suspension took place on the floor of the House at an emergency sitting held following the adoption of a motion by the 17 members, read by Enema Paul (APC-Dekina II).

The impeached principal officers are Ahmed Mohammed, Deputy Speaker; Bello Hassan Abdullahi, Majority Leader; Ndako Idris, Deputy Majority Leader and Edoko Moses Ododo, Deputy Chief Whip.

The motion, among other allegations, accused the four former principal officers of the 25-member House of gross misconduct and called for their immediate impeachment and replacement.

Ruling on the motion, the Speaker, Prince Matthew Kolawole, put the question on whether 17 members actually signed the document and they affirmed their position.

Thereafter, Alfa Momoh Rabiu, representing Ankpa II, was nominated and confirmed as the new Deputy Speaker by the group of 17 lawmakers

Our correspondent noticed that there was unusual heavy presence of security personnel at the Assembly complex before the impeachment process started.

Findings revealed that the impeachment gale that hit the Assembly may not be unconnected with the fallout of the just concluded presidential party primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It would be recalled that the state accredited 63 delegates for the said election, where Governor Yahaya Bello featured but secured 47 votes.

The governor’s score had triggered allegation of betrayal and lack of genuine commitment on the part of some party chieftains and political appointees.