DSS Detains Legislators Over Plot To Impeach Governor

        DSS Detains Legislators Over Plot To Impeach                                   Governor 

UNBELIEVABLE: DSS DETAINS LEGISLATORS 

OVER PLOT TO IMPEACH GOV 

Posted on July 20, 2016

DSS DETAINS LEGISLATORS OVER PLOT TO IMPEACH GOV

Principal officers of the Zamfara State House of Assembly were yesterday quizzed and detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) over an alleged threat by the House to impeach Governor Abdul’aziz Yari.

Also, members of the Benue State Assembly nearly engaged in exchange of blows over allegations of N750 million car loan scandal. Confirming the arrest of the principal officers yesterday, a member of the House, who was on his way from Abuja to Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, Hon. Aminu Abubakar Danjibga, told New Telegraph on the telephone that those in detention were the Speaker of the House, Hon. Sanusi Garba Rikiji; the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Abubakar Mohammed Gummi; House Leader, Hon. Isa Abdul’mumini Mafara; the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip.

The youth wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state had, on Monday, attacked the Speaker, over the impeachment threat. Rikiji had, along with 23 other members of the House, escaped lynching after the attack by the angry APC youths, who staged a peaceful demonstration in Gusau against any alleged plan or move by the lawmakers to impeach Yari.

The angry youths, who in their hundreds had, about 4:30p.m., stormed the residence of the Speaker, located at the GRA, Sokoto Road in Gusau, where all the lawmakers were suspected to have gathered for a meeting for the removal of the governor.

The youth attacked and destroyed several vehicles belonging to the lawmakers, who escaped being lynched by a whisker from the meeting. The House was reported to have been sealed off by the police who refused to allow any member of the House and other staff entry into the complex.

The Chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who doubles as Acting Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Dayyabu Adamu Rijiya, however, debunked the impeachment allegation.

According to him, the motive behind the meeting at the Speaker’s residence was to address the issue of bailout funds released by the Federal Government Standand how the money was spent by the state government, the problem of deduction of salary of the civil servants, the issue of 1,400 employed youths by the state government about two years ago without putting them on the payroll, sacking of local government workers under the guise of ghost workers, among others.

Meanwhile, the Benue State House of Assembly was yesterday thrown into a rowdy session as the lawmakers from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) engaged those of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in fisticuffs and demanded the immediate resignation of the Speaker, Mr. Terkimbi Ikyange.

They threatened outright impeachment of the speaker. The 16 aggrieved members also demanded that principal officers of the House resign over their alleged involvement in the N750 million car loan scandal rocking the House. New Telegraph learnt that trouble started shortly after the Speaker, Mr. Terkimbi Ikyange, called for the adoption of the Votes and Proceedings of July 12.

But, as the lawmakers commenced page-by-page consideration of the Votes and Proceedings, Hon. Kester Kyenge cited Order 8, Rule 4(A), to allow for the adjournment of the House to enable it discuss a matter of urgent public importance, which was the leadership’s involvement in the N750 million scandal, among other issues.

When the Speaker demanded to know what constitutes a matter of urgent public importance, Kyenge said he was referring to an issue on the first page of the Votes and Proceedings, which was under consideration leading to its adoption.

The Speaker, thereafter, ruled him (Ikyenge) out of order and explained that all members were expected to go through the Votes and Proceedings and bring out any issue they wished to observe, corrected or discussed, and stressed that he (Kester) needed not come by way of a motion of Urgent Public Importance as contained in the Standing Rules of the House (Order 8, Rule 4 a). The Speaker further said that Ikyenge ought to have briefed him on the

intended urgent matter before citing it on the floor, as that was the conventional practice in the Assembly. Following this ruling by the Speaker and the consequent refusal by Kyenge to respect the ruling and allow for the consideration of the Votes and Proceedings, the Chambers became rancorous as many lawmakers, mostly from the opposition PDP, staged a walk out to brief the media.

All attempts by the Speaker to calm the House failed as all the PDP members insisted that the Speaker must reverse his ruling to allow the Logo representative to continue with his motion of urgent public importance. Ikyange, accordingly, invoked the relevant sections of the House Stand ing Rules to adjourn the Assembly for 30 minutes (in the first instance), and later adjourned the sitting to Thursday, July 21 by 10a.m.

The lawmakers, led by the member representing Logo constituency, Hon. Kester Terna Ikyenge and his counterpart representing Ukum constituency, Mr. Paul Biam, told journalists shortly after the session, that they were worried over the speaker’s continued silence on the scandal and other issues that continue to agitate their minds.

He said the matter has dampened their reputation and image as lawmakers. Besides the call for his resignation, the lawmakers asked the speaker to account for the N500 million that was discovered in his personal account by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as well as the N86 million, which they said was funds meant for oversight function for members, but which they accused him of cornering. Already, the speaker and the other principal officers are under investigation by the EFCC.

-New Telegraph