The House of Representatives on Tuesday set aside agitation by some members to commence impeachment process of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
Some aggrieved lawmakers had during the debate on the motion under matters of public importance titled: “Urgent need to stop illegality and impunity in Kogi State”, sponsored by Emeka Ujam (PDP-Enugu) expressed displeasure over the inordinate action of Governor Bello over the State Assembly crisis.
After robust debate on the motion, the House resolved to summon Governor Bello and Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai over the alleged “acts of illegality carried out in the state.”
Some of the lawmakers who spoke in favour of the motion include: Femi Gbajabiamila, Majority Leader; Leo Ogor, Minority Leader; Mohammed Mungono (APC-Borno) and Ali Isa (PDP-Gombe).
The resolution was in line with section 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which empowered the House (National Assembly) to investigate any matter and summon any person or issue a warrant of arrest to compel the attendance of any person who after having been summoned to attend, refuses or neglects the summon.
In his lead debate, Ujam who called for the intervention of the House alleged that masked men attacked the residential quarters of the Kogi Assembly in an attempt to assassinate Momoh and 14 of his loyalists, on the 3rd June 2016.
The lawmaker also alleged that on the same day, armed military men suspected to be officers from the Army Records, Lokoja, along with security details of the State Governor also went to the House of Assembly and displaced policemen stationed at the complex.
On his part, Femi Gbajabiamila (APC-Lagos) observed that the House must take action as the use of soldiers in the invasion of the state assembly and the quarters of the lawmakers amounted to usurping the role of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, who enjoys the sole authority of approving military operations.
Gbajabiamila called on the House to ensure that this time whatever decision it takes is fully implemented.
“We have constituted Committees headed by Pally (Iriase) and by me. We adopted their reports. It is time for us to draw the line and we must draw the line today” he said.
Also speaking, Leo Ogor, who threw his weight behind the motion emphasised that the National Assembly was empowered by Sections 89 of the 1999 Constitution to invite anyone in Nigeria when investigating issues of national importance.
According to him, it had become necessary to invite the Kogi Governor to ascertain, “why the law hasn’t been respected?”
Speaking on the motion, Ali Isa (PDP-Gombe) accused Governor Bello of showing total contempt for the rule of law. He suggested that the House commence impeachment proceedings against the Governor as he has committed impeachable offences.
The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the presiding officer, Speaker Yakubu Dogara and subsequently transmitted to the Gbajabiamila Committee.
Recall that the House had during the debate on the petition filed by Speaker Momoh Jimoh on Wednesday, 9th March 2016, adopted the report of the 10-man investigative committee led by Pally Iriase, Majority Deputy Whip announced its takeover of the state assembly.
The House also ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase to immediately seal off the premises of the assembly, declaring the supposed impeachment of the Speaker null and void. The Senate also adopted the resolution of the House.
The House again inaugurated a 22 man committee headed by Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, owing to the directive of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to the IGP, to disregard the directive of the National Assembly.
In adopting the report from the Gbajabiamila Committee, the House declared all resolutions, laws and actions taken by the State Assembly from the date of the National Assembly take-over, null and void. This is even as it subsequently directed Governor. Bello to immediately send his budget and other Executive Bills to the National Assembly for consideration as stipulated in section 11 of the constitution.
In deviant to the House resolution, Governor Bello has failed to transmit the State budget for 2016 fiscal year to the House.
Similarly, the Jimoh led faction of the Kogi lawmakers also held plenary under heavy security despite the ruling of the Federal High Court Abuja.
