Nine Members of Kogi Assembly Suspend Embattled Speaker, Others

Nine Members of Kogi Assembly Suspend Embattled Speaker, Others

Today, the lingering crisis rocking Kogi State House of Assembly continued  as nine members of the House suspended the embattled Speaker, Hon. Momohjimoh Lawal, representing Okene II state constituency, and 10 other members loyal to the speaker for their alleged involvement in the leadership crisis rocking the legislative assembly since November last year.

The members are the embattled speaker, Momo-Jimoh Lawal (PDP), representing Okene II constituency; Hon Matthew Kolawole (PDP) representing Kabba-Bunu, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Aliyu Akuh (PDP) representing Omala; Hon. Victor Omofaiye (PDP) representing Ijumu and Hon. Sunday Shigaba (PDP) representing Bassa state constituency.

Others are Hon. Alfa Momoh-Rabiu (APC) representing Ankpa II, Hon. Enenche Linus (APC) representing Olamaboro, Hon. Obaro Pedro (APC) representing Mopa-Muro, Hon.  Ndako Idris (APC) representing Lokoja II and Hon. Zakari Osewu (APC) representing Kogi-Koton-Karfi state constituency.

The suspension order issued in the assembly at plenary followed adoption of a report of the factional ad-hoc committee inaugurated on March 10 this year.

The ad-hoc committee was charged to investigate the sponsorship of the crisis and involvement of the National Assembly as well as its failure to ensure due process even at the instance of a court injunction.

Presenting the report, the Chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Mr. John Abah of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Ibaji state constituency, said the committee found out that the House of Representatives was misguided by ''members who had interest in the crisis.''

According to him, the situation in the state had not deteriorated into a breakdown of law and order for the National Assembly to exercise its powers in invoking section 11(4) leaving out the provision of 11(5) of the constitution.

Abah said the 10 members had persistently fuelled the crisis and made it extremely difficult for the assembly to resolve the leadership impasse peacefully in order for the assembly to carry out its lawful and constitutional responsibilities.

The committee, according to the chairman, recommended that all legal processes instituted in various courts be exhaustively determined to ensure due process, rule of law and justice to all parties.

The committee also recommended that further deliberation on the action of the National Assembly would be tantamount to prejudice, therefore urged the assembly to restrain itself from engaging the National Assembly on the matter further.

It also stated that the 10 members indicted by the committee be suspended from sitting.

Seconding the motion for adoption of the report, the Majority Leader, Friday Sanni (PDP) representing Igalamela-Odolu state constituency, urged the assembly to adopt the three recommendations of the committee.

The Speaker, Umar Imam, in his ruling, adopted the recommendations as prayed following overwhelming voice votes in favour of the report.

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