Confusion rules Kogi House of Assembly

From CHRISTIANA EKPA, Lokoja

Confusion best describes the current goings on in the Kogi state House of Assembly as members are divided in their support for the old and new Speakers with the alleged impeached Speaker, Hon. Momoh Jimoh adjourning legislative proceedings till February 2^nd next year.

Already, some members whose signatures featured earlier on the impeachment motion had claimed they were forged and had gone ahead to pledge loyalty to Hon Jimoh.

One of such legislators is Umar Ahmed who distanced himself from the purported impeachment of Hon. Jimoh, saying his signature and those of some other members were forged.

The embattled Speaker has described the action of the new leadership of the Assembly as unpatriotic, and at variance with legislative practices and principles.

He said those attempting to remove him and other principal members were aggrieved over what he called inordinate and personal ambitions, urging the people of the state to discountenance the purported impeachment.

“It is important to let the public know that though, Hon Okubile Acharu- Ochijenu of Idah constituency attempted to move an impeachment motion with the claim that 17 members had signed the impeachment notice but failed when many of those said to have signed the impeachment motion declined signing the document,” he stated.

Yesterday the Speaker was impeached over allegation of incompetence by members of the assembly.

Apart from Jimoh, the legislators also removed his deputy, Ali Akuh and the Minority Leader, Hassan Bello at their plenary held on the floor of the house in Lokoja.

Following this development the members elected Osiyi Ojo, representing Ogori/Magongo state constituency, as the new Speaker, John Abah from Ibaji state constituency, who is also the Chairman House Committee on Information and Orientation was elected as the new deputy speaker, while Linus Eneche was elected as the new minority leader.

Immediately after the impeachment was carried the members converged on the press centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lokoja, the state capital and told journalists that the principal officers had been removed from office.

Abah, who spoke on behalf of the members, said the Speaker was impeached as he had failed to give adequate leadership to the house.