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Tag: Kogi Assembly

  • Kogi Assembly accuses EFCC of assassination attempts on Yahaya Bello

    Kogi Assembly accuses EFCC of assassination attempts on Yahaya Bello

    The Kogi State House of Assembly has slammed the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede.

    According to them, Olukayode should be sacked over unprofessional handling of the case against the immediate past Governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

    The legislators, during plenary in Lokoja, the state capital, on Monday, condemned what they described as the EFCC operatives’ unprovoked attack on the Kogi State Government Lodge, saying it was an attack on the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, and the entirety of the Kogi people.

    The lawmakers the EFCC of accused assassination attempts on the former Governor and the incumbent, stressing that the persecution of the former governor had gone on for too long and must stop.

    This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Akus Lawal, representing Ankpa 1 State Constituency. Hon Jacob Olawunmi, Ijumu State Constituency, seconded the motion.

    Hon. Akus said the EFCC was out to humiliate and possibly kill the present and former governors. His colleagues all supported this.

    Hon. Abu Jibril of Ajaokuta State specifically said the EFCC boss should be prosecuted for allegedly attempting to kill the governor. He called on the President to remove him immediately.

    According to him, the EFCC’s conduct shows that the chairman is incapable of leading a supposedly impartial agency like the EFCC.

    “The Chairman has shown incompetence that warrants his removal,” he said.

    Hon Bode Ogunmola, Ogori/Magongo State Constituency (PDP), said, “If I’m in London and there is a crisis, if I get to the Nigerian House, I will feel safe. If I’m in Abuja and there is a crisis, I believe that if I get to the Kogi Lodge, I will be safe. For the EFCC Chairman to order that fire be opened on the official lodge of the Governor, he should be sacked and prosecuted. We should be told why he wants to kill our Governor.”

    The Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Hon. Suleiman AbdulRazak, alleged that officials of the EFCC were begging the former Governor to let them pretend as if he was arrested.

    He said it was an embarrassing act, which showed that the anti-graft agency was acting a script written by some political enemies of the former Governor.

    The lawmaker therefore said the President should be notified of the assassination attempt on the present and former Governors; adding that the whole drama was a show to embarrass the former Governor.

    He concluded that, on the fateful night, a coup attempt was committed at the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge and called on the President to immediately remove the EFCC Chairman to save the nation from further embarrassment.

    The lawmakers noted that the EFCC had an agenda different from the fight against corruption, which had been revealed by the way the Commission approached the issue of arrest, calls on all Nigerians to condemn the act.

    Hon Yahaya Umar, representing Omala State Constituency said,“The unlawful conducts of the EFCC show that the intention of the chairman is not to arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello, but to ridicule the state.

    “The chronology of how the event happened shows that the problem of the chairman is not with the offences being alleged, but that they want to disgrace the defendant and Kogi State in general.”

    On her part, the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Comfort Nwuchiola Egwaba, stated, “The EFCC is just trying to give the former Governor a bad name through their media trial. The EFCC is not sincere in this fight. It has an agenda it is pursuing and the entire people of the state, particularly the women and youths, will not accept this.”

    In the same vein, the Kogi State House of Assembly also passed a resolution, commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his economic policies which are aimed at building a strong and virile economy that will be the envy of all.

    The Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Yusuf, who read out the resolution of the House, stated, “The House formally categorizes the April 17 and September 18 incidents as assassination attempts on the former Governor, and by extension, a threat to the life of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.

    “The unprovoked attack on the Governor’s Lodge and the firing of live rounds within a diplomatic residential zone further demonstrate that the EFCC has fully marinated in a sense of its own importance and power and now considers itself not only above the law but unanswerable to anyone or institution for its actions.”

    “Because the EFCC Chairman has shown constantly, gross incompetence, the House has resolved that the President should relieve him of his appointment with immediate effect and replace him with a competent officer who will give Mr. President’s crusade for rule of law the needed effectiveness,” the lawmakers stated.

     

     

  • Kogi assembly fire: Conference of Speakers seek immediate investigation

    Kogi assembly fire: Conference of Speakers seek immediate investigation

    The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria (CoSAP) have called for immediate probe into the fire that gutted the Kogi Assembly Complex in Lokoja.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the media aide to Mr Abubakar Sulaiman, Chairman of the CoSAP, Mr Abdul Bura in Bauchi.

    Newsmen reports that on Oct. 10, the assembly was razed by an early morning fire which began in the middle of the night, but security agents were able to notice it at about 7a.m.

    The conference expressed shock over the ugly fire incident .
    Sulaiman who is the Speaker Bauchi state House of Assembly sympathised with the Speaker of the Kogi Assembly Mr Matthew Kolawole over the fire incident.

    The chairman called on relevant authorities to investigate the incident to unravel what triggered the fire with a view to forestalling its recurrence.

    “All culprits must be prosecuted after the investigation. We pray against recurrence of such unfortunate incident,” he said.

    The chairman advised members of the Kogi assembly to remain calm and resolute over the incident and allow investigation to take place.

    Newsmen reports that the most affected place was the Hallowed Chamber of the lawmakers, which was completely razed down, including chairs, tables and roof of the building.

    Speaker Kolawole and the state security adviser, Jerry Omodara were among early callers at the assembly complex.

    Kolawole, who spoke to newsmen, said he suspected sabotage, but did not mention where the suspected sabotage was coming from.

    “We should leave security people to do their work and give us a report going forward,” the speaker said.

    Also, the state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement noted that security and technical experts have began work to unravel the cause of the inferno, which had caused significant damage to the complex.

    “As new findings emerge, the state government will notify the general public,” he said.

    He added that the state government will also make provisions for temporary arrangements to ensure that the legislative business is not completely halted as a result of the unfortunate incident.

  • Kogi Assembly impeach 4 principal officers, suspend 3 others

    The Kogi House of Assembly on Friday impeached four principal officers and suspended three others for “undue gross misconducts.”

    The lawmakers made the impeachment and suspension during an emergency sitting at the assembly complex following the adoption of a motion raised by Assemblyman Enema Paul (APC-Dekina II).

    Those impeached by 17 lawmakers that sat at plenary are Mr Ahmed Mohammed; Deputy Speaker; Mr Bello Hassan Abdullahi; Majority Leader, Mr Ndako Idris; Deputy Majority Leader and Mr Edoko Ododo; Deputy Chief Whip.

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

    After the impeachment, Mr Enema Paul, in his contribution, called for their replacements, arguing that the house could not afford a vacuum.

    According to him, they should be replaced pending the outcome of investigations into their alleged misdemeanour.

    He said: “We, the undersigned honourable members of the Kogi State House of Assembly do hereby resolve to impeach the following principal officers.”

    The lawmakers have also replaced the impeached principal officers with Mr Rabiu Alfa, as Deputy Speaker, Mr Bajeh Mukhtar; Majority Leader; Mr Umar Isa; Deputy Majority Leader and Mr Enema Paul; Deputy Chief Whip.

    Earlier ruling on the motion, the Speaker, Assemblyman Matthew Kolawole, put the question whether 17 members actually signed the impeachment and suspension document and they answered in affirmation of their position.

    Kolawole then directed the Clerk of the House to call out the new principal officers who were immediately approved.

    The legislators also dissolved the standing committees and constituted new ones to upscale performance of their oversight functions in the remaining lifespan of the assembly in the state.

  • 2023: Kogi assembly begs Gov. Yahaya Bello to contest for presidency

    2023: Kogi assembly begs Gov. Yahaya Bello to contest for presidency

    All members of the Kogi State House of Assembly on Wednesday called on the state governor, Yahaya Bello to put his hat in the ring for presidency in 2023.

    The members subsequently passed a vote of confidence on the governor, called on the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, to zone the position of Vice President to the South-Eastern part of the country; for purpose of equity.

    In a motion signed by all the 24 House members and read on the floor by the Majority Leader, Bello Abdullahi said the governor ticked all the right boxes for the presidential seat.

    “That it is in consideration of compelling accomplishment too numerous to mention that this Kogi State House of Assembly, assembled in full plenary, do hereby make and pass a vote of confidence upon his Excellency, Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

    “That this Kogi State House of Assembly further makes a call to national service to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and we hereby impress it upon him to run for the Office of the President or Vice President of Nigeria in 2023 – after his current assignment in Kogi State.

    “That this solemn call is first and foremost premised upon and born of our belief that Yahaya Bello is fit and a proper person, with the right mix of youth, experience, and track record to answer same firmly and decisively in 2023 and beyond. “That we make the call, aware that only the North Central and the South East geopolitical zones have not occupied the offices of President and Vice President since the advent of the 4th Republic in 1999.

    “That we must, on behalf of our people, register our pain and frustration with the attitude of some of our compatriots and that this unfortunate attitude was again exemplified within the last two weeks by major leaders of our party, the APC.

    “That we demand, in the interest of equity and justice, that in 2023 General Elections, both the office of President and Vice President of Nigeria must be ceded to North Central and South East geopolitical zones by the rest to peacefully arbitrate or contest for.”

    Also in a similar motion by the member representing Olamaboro state Constituency, Ujah Anthony said it is high time the North Central takes over the presidency.

    “The North Central cannot continue to be the slave partner in Nigeria project, talking about the geopolitical zone to produce the next president who leads Nigeria at the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in 2023.

    “That the constitution provides that there should be equality, socio-political justice for all Nigerian’s, particularly section 17, sub section 1 of the 1999 constitution (CFRN) states; “the state social order is founded on ideals of freedom, equity and justice”.

    “Whereas, the counsel here is that all Nigerian political leaders should return to their drawing boards in 2023 and patriotically reverse the injustice and inequality of making Northcentral the footstool of the superstructure of domination at the centre.

    “Whereas available statistics by INEC shows that 81% of the registered voters in the country are youths from 18 to 50 years of age and that these youths have the capacity to make Nigerian attain its set target, hence the resolve that Alh. Yahaya Bello, the youngest Nigerian Governor fits into that bracket of what Nigerian want at the age of 40 in 2015. Ruling on the motion, the Speaker, Kolawole Matthew said the House members shall embark on spiritual means known to each members to actualize the presidential ambition for the governor.

    He thereafter pass the resolution of the House to compel the governor to contest for the presidency, which will be communicated to the governor at the next APC state meeting. 24 members of the Assembly are from the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC with a bye- election scheduled for December 5 for Ibaji constituency.

  • Kogi Assembly loses serving lawmaker

    The Kogi House of Assembly, on Wednesday, lost a member, Mr John Abah, who represented Ibaji State Constituency.

    Abah died in an undisclosed private hospital in Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday during a protracted illness.

    Until his death, Abah was a second-term member, who transited from the Sixth Assembly to the Seventh Assembly.

    He started as a chartered accountant who veered into politics and won the Ibaji state constituency seat in 2015 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Before the general elections in 2019, he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and clinched the win of the assembly seat from his constituency for a second term.

    Reacting to the news, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Matthew Kolawole, said he was shocked and saddened. Kolawole added that Abah’s death was a monumental loss to the Seventh Assembly in the state.

  • Kogi Assembly demands sack of Chief Judge over alleged misconduct

    Kogi Assembly demands sack of Chief Judge over alleged misconduct

    The Kogi State House of Assembly has recommended the removal of the Chief Judge (CJ) of state, Justice Nasir Ajanah, for alleged gross misconduct.

    This followed Tuesday’s adoption of the report and recommendations of the House committee on public account, which indicted the Kogi State High Court and Kogi Hajj Commission of financial breaches.

    The House said that the Chief Judge could step aside to defend himself over the indictment by the auditor general of the state.

    The House also recommended punitive measures on those indicated, to “avoid a reoccurrence.”

    It however directed the state government to urgently resume payment of salaries of judicial workers.

    Committee Report 30 of the House Committee on Public Accounts on the State’s Auditor General’s on the 2016 Financial Statements (Budget Performance Analysis on Personnel Cost, Overheads, Capital Expenditure and Revenue Performance of Kogi State for the Year Ended 31st December, 2016), was presented by Hon. Ahmed Mohammed, Committee Chairman.

    It would be recalled that Kogi judicial staff members have been on strike for close to six months over unresolved differences between the judicial arm and executive, arising from their alleged non submission to the staff payroll verification exercise embarked on by government late last year.

    The judicial arm had earlier alleged of plans by Governor Yahaya Bello to remove Ajanah from office.

    Kogi Speaker Prince Mathew Kolawole had however denied knowledge of such plan.