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Tag: Speaker

  • JUST IN: APGA suspends lawmaker who spearheaded speaker’s impeachment

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has suspended the factional Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Ikem Uzoezie, for alleged anti-party activities.

    Others also suspended were Messrs Hartford Oseke and Victor Okoye.

    The State Chairman of the party, Chief Norbert Obi, stated this at a press conference at the party’s secretariat in Awka on Thursday.

    Obi said that after reviewing the circumstances surrounding the impeachment of the Speaker of the House, Rita Maduagwu on Tuesday, it had become expedient to suspend the key player in the saga “to save the party from self-destruction.”

    Uzoezie had led 19 other members of the House on Tuesday to impeach Maduagwu and assumed the speakership of the House.

    But the APGA state chairman of the party, at the press conference, said “the party would not condone such internal wrangling.”

    His statement read in part: “Recall that on Tuesday, 13th November 2018, some Honorable members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the Anambra State House of Assembly, during their plenary session, attempted to impeach the Hon Speaker of
    the House, Rt Hon Barr Rita Maduagwu, following a motion moved by the Hon member representing Agutata II Constituency, Hon. Ikem Uzoezie, which was seconded by the Hon member representing Ekwusigo Constituency, Hon. Onyebuchi Offor.

    “It is the position of the party in Anambra State that the attempted impeachment was not necessary.

    “Granted the fact that we had problems during the just-concluded party primaries in the state, this is not enough to pull the party down, more so when the party has inaugurated a reconciliation committee to look into the grievances of the aggrieved aspirants and members of the party.

    “Every right thinking Igbo man knows that APGA is not only a party but a movement for the actualization of Igbo agenda in the Nigerian polity. It will amount to shooting oneself in the leg for any Igbo man to pursue the destruction of APGA.”

    The state chairman enjoined aggrieved members of the party to sheathe their swords, adding that failure to do so would amount to “setting our house on fire because of a rat.”

    He added, “It is therefore the wish of the party that all members of APGA behind this unfortunate plot should retrace their steps in the interest of the party.

    “We assure them that whatever is their grievances, they should be addressed to the satisfaction of all since this is a family affair.

    “Be that as it may, the three ring leaders of the attempted impeachment saga, namely, Hon Ikem Uzoezie, Barr Hartford Oseke and Hon Victor Okoye are hereby suspended from the party pending the time they will appear before the disciplinary committee of the party for further action.”

  • Anambra Assembly impeaches Speaker

    The Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Rita Maduagwu, has been impeached.

    She was impeached by 22 out of 30 members of the state assembly on Tuesday during plenary at the Assembly chamber in Awka, the state capital.

    The former speaker was impeached on the grounds of alleged incompetence, docility, financial impropriety and high-handedness.

    The motion was moved by Ikem Uzoezie who represents Aguata II Constituency and was seconded by Onyebuchi Offor from Ekwusigo Constituency.

    Uzoezie was consequently elected as the new speaker.

  • No impeachment process against Okorocha – Speaker

    No impeachment process against Okorocha – Speaker

    Dr Iheanacho Ihim, Speaker, Imo House of Assembly has said that there was no impeachment process against Gov. Rochas Okorocha.

    Ihim, who made the clarification in a statement signed by Mr Marcel Ekwezuo, his Chief Press Secretary min Owerrin on Friday, said the governor had carried out his duties within the full provisions of the law.

    He described as misleading, insinuations in some quarters that some members of the House had contemplated instituting impeachment process against the governor.

    “His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha, has so far conducted himself and steered the administrative machinery of Imo within the most perceived and glaring ambits of the law.

    “No member of the Imo House of Assembly has contemplated, even remotely, the misleading allegation of his impeachment charge,“ he said.

    According to him, the impeachment procedure of any state Governor is a constitutional matter, but added that it is neither done surreptitiously nor stealthily.

    “It is an act done in the open; and no member of the State Assembly has any knowledge of the fictitious and imaginary said impeachment procedure.”

    He condemned the originators of the news and enjoined the state government and the general public to disregard the allegations.

    “It beats my imagination how an obscure and imaginary television station operating outside the shores of Imo state could be the harbinger of a story of such magnitude. There is a plethora of refined, reliable and reputable mass media in Imo.“

    “Such fake news and other morally degenerate stories are the stock in trade of that lowly rated and generally unknown, non conventional television station.

    “I enjoin the relevant publics and government of Imo to discountenance the falsehood of Gov. Okorocha’s alleged impeachment for what it is – a lie from the pit of hell.”

    NAN

  • Fayose commissions building, names it after impeached Speaker

    Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has inaugurated the Speaker’s Residence.
    The newly inaugurated Speaker’s Residence was named after the immediate ex-Speaker and called “The Rt. Hon Kola Oluwawole’s Residence.”
    Recall that Oluwawole was impeached on Thursday by 14 of the 26 members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly.
    Fayose, at the inauguration, told Oluwawole to see his impeachment as the price of leadership.
    “If I were you, in the interest of Ekiti, I would tell them to carry on. Everything works for good.”
    At the inauguration of the Speaker’s Residence, the Commissioner of Works, Mrs. Funmi Ogun, who spoke at the event, said Fayose’s administration executed over 180 projects either through contractors or via direct labour.

  • BREAKING: Ekiti lawmakers impeach speaker, deputy, others

    The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Kola Oluwawole, has been impeached.
    The Deputy Speaker, Sina Animasaun was also impeached.
    Both Oluwawole and Animasaun are members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
    Oluwawole, a staunch loyalist of Governor Ayo Fayose, was removed at about 11.00 am behind closed doors.
    The lawmakers elected the former Deputy Leader, Adeniran Alagbada while the Minority Leader, Gboyega Aribisogan, was elected as new House Leader of Business.
    Alagbada defected from PDP to APC in June alongside his political mentor, Prince Dayo Adeyeye.
    The change in leadership was believed to have been effected in anticipation of the change of government.
    Outgoing Governor Ayo Fayose will make way for the incoming Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who will be inaugurated on Tuesday.
     

  • PDP senators ‘keeping vigil at National Assembly over Saraki, Ekweremadu’

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators are taking turns to sleep over at the National Assembly Complex to prevent a removal of Senate President Bukola Saraki by their All Progressives Congress (APC) colleagues, a senator said yesterday.

    Senator Philip Gyunka (PDP Nasarawa North) spoke in Lafia, the state capital, yesterday when he presented his letter of intent to contest for Nasarawa State governor, to the leadership of the PDP in the state..

    He said: “I woke up this morning from my night shift and I will still be going back to my night shift. That is to say we are keeping vigil.

    “We are rotating the shift among ourselves. As regards what they are saying about impeachment (removal), it is not possible because the international community is aware of their plot.

    “Don’t be discouraged. They will intimidate you as they do to us. Like myself, I don’t know how many times they have been calling me. We didn’t know they have come to truncate democracy. But the Senate president, being a product of PDP, has come to the rescue of the the situation.

    “We are keeping watch on their plans.

    “If they want the Senate President removed, which is impossible they must have two third majorities.

    “They have been attempting and failing. I know they will still make attempts but they will not succeed because I know Nigerians will not allow them to make mockery of the nation’s democracy.

    “If you hear a lawmaker speaking, he is speaking the minds of thousands of people.

    “How then should someone, who was appointed and has neither gone to the rural areas to feel the pulse of the people, nor held town hall meeting be insisting that a man that was duly chosen by his colleagues be removed at all course.

    “Oshiomhole (Adams) should be educated that this is not unionism. This is an issue that has to do with the Constitution and we will not allow him to violate it,” he said.

    The senator told PDP supporters that he would bring to the office of the governor the heart of a servant who had known hard times, tasted poverty and acquired requisite discipline to govern.

    “I shall bring the benefit of my vast experience as an economist, banker, and a legislator at both the state and federal levels to reform and transform the state.

    “ I will bring a new vision and new direction to governance that will be truly democratic, representative and professional to deliver and redeem the state from its downward descent,” Gyunka said.

    State PDP Chairman Francis Orogu said the state chapter of the party was proud of its representatives at the National Assembly and would encourage them to maintain the tempo of their loyalty to the PDP.

  • Just in: Kaduna lawmakers elect new Deputy Speaker

    Just in: Kaduna lawmakers elect new Deputy Speaker

    Members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly have elected a new Deputy Speaker.

    This was sequel to the defection of the erstwhile Deputy Speaker, John Audu-Kwaturu (Kachia constituency), from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

    The Speaker, Aminu Abdullahi Shaghali, had dismissed the reasons adduced by John Audu-Kwaturu and another defecting lawmaker, Junaidu Yakubu (Kudan constituency), saying they were not tenable since there was no crisis or rancour in APC at both the state and the national levels.

    He ruled that the two lawmakers must vacate their seats.

    Consequently, the lawmaker representing Makera Constituency, Dahiru Liman, nominated Hon. Nuhu Goroh Shadalafiya (Kagarko Constituency) as the new Deputy Speaker, and Hon. Ahmed Mohammed of Zaria Kewaye Constituency seconded the motion.

    The new Deputy Speaker, Nuhu Goroh Shadalafiya, until now, was Chairman, House Committee on Information.

    He was immediately sworn in as the new Deputy Speaker.

  • Ortom yet to be served impeachment notice- Benue Speaker

    The new Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon Titus Ugba, has said that the Executive Governor of Benue State, Mr Samuel Ortom, is yet to be served an impeachment notice, adding that the eight lawmakers cannot give impeachment notice and thereafter seek for signatures for impeachment.

    Ugba stated this while speaking with journalists in Lagos, at the 2018 Conference of Speakers hosted by the Lagos State House of Assembly, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja Saturday.

    He stressed that the eight lawmakers did not follow the due process in serving the Governor Impeachment notice, adding that there was no plan to impeach the governor, adding further that the police had been giving court order to vacate the assembly complex for the lawmakers to perform their legislative duties.

    The Speaker expressed confidence in leading the Assembly despite the crisis in the state, debunking the allegation against the Governor on the payment of N20million to a Boko Haram suspect.

    He said that the security apparatus at the IDPs camp have been withdrawn and that herdsmen have started coming back into Benue State.

    Ugba added “Benue has once again demonstrated that democracy is a thing of the people. On the 24th of July to be precise, 22 members came together to say they are tired of what the previous speaker was doing and now they made me the speaker of Benue State House of Assembly.

    “When I came here yesterday I was not initially allowed to participate in the speakers conference but the speakers rose that I have to attend because it is not the conference of Speakers that determines who is the speaker of the House. So, I was allowed because the conference is not about partisan but coming together as a family to promote the unity of this country”

    He stated further that “The eight members in Benue State did not give the Governor Impeachment notice; they said they are looking for signatures to impeach him.

    “You can’t give impeachment notice before seeking for signatures of members for Governor’s impeachment,” he said.

  • Ganduje reacts to Kano Assembly Speaker’s impeachment

    Kano State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said on Monday that he had no knowledge of what happened at the state’s assembly.

    Ganduje who described the episode as an internal democracy said that, such development is good for any progressive democracy.

    The Governor made the assertion at the Kano State Government House when the new speaker, Honorable Kabiru Alhassan Rurum and his principal officers paid a courtesy visit during which they pledged their loyalty to him.

    They further reaffirmed their unflinching support for his administration and reelection bid.

    According to Ganduje, “I was not aware of what was going on at the state assembly; I was informed by top members of our great party that the speaker of the house has been impeached by the members of the house.

    “As you know, there has been, and they would be different interpretations to what has happened, but one thing is certain, that is, we in Kano believe in internal democracy”

    “I urge you to embrace all those whom have lost their seats and ensure that there are no factions within the assembly members.

    “I welcome you to the state government House, your house, and I want to reassure you that there shall be synergy between the state government and the assembly for the greater development of the state”

    “For eight years I was the deputy governor, and we have been together with virtually all of you for the past sixteen years, so am familiar with the antics of the assembly and issues of internal democracy”

    “I’m happy to hear that you are solidly behind the party in the state, National level and the president particularly at this moment of trial”

    In his remarks, the Speaker, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum expressed their loyalty to the Ganduje’s administration and reaffirmed that, the assembly members would continue to work with the Governor for the peace and progress of the state.

    Rurum assures the Governor that, there shall be no defection by members of the house as efforts are been made to win over the six Kwankwansiyya loyalists to their fold.

    He further reiterated their loyalty and support for the Ganduje’s second term ambition as well as that of the president Muhammadu Buhari and also pledge their loyalty to APC and its National Chairman, Adam Oshiomhole.

  • BREAKING: Plateau Assembly impeaches Speaker, Majority Leader

    BREAKING: Plateau Assembly impeaches Speaker, Majority Leader

    The Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, Peter Azi, was on Wednesday impeached by 17 out of the 24-member parliament dominated by the All Progressives Congress.

    He was replaced by Joshua Izang Madaki, a legal practitioner representing Jos East constituency.

    Also removed was the Majority Leader, Henry Yunkwap, representing Shendam constituency, who was also replaced by Hon. Nanlong, of Mikang constituency.

    They were said to have been sacked over “irreconcilable differences” in the recent removal of Local Government Caretaker Committee chairmen.

     

    Details later…