- Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello and the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai have been summoned by the House Representatives over acts of illegality in the state
- Members of the House are displeased that the governor disobeyed orders stating that he reinstate Jimoh Momoh, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly
by Oluwatobi Bolashodun
The Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello and the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai have been summoned by the House Representatives over over the deployment of armed military men to the state assembly.
This followed the resolution of the House to the pass a motion raised under matters of public importance entitled: “Urgent Need to Stop Illegality and Impunity in Kogi State”, sponsored by Emeka Ujam (PDP-Enugu), The Nation reports.
According to The Punch, the governor is to appear along with Buratai, before a panel constituted by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara. He was dragged into the matter following reports that the Kogi state governor allegedly secured the services of soldiers to give protection to five members to continue to sit and make laws for the state.
Ujam while presenting the motion at plenary said that masked men attacked the residential quarters of the Kogi assembly in “an attempt to assassinate Momoh and 14 of his loyalists.”
According to him, on the same day, armed military men suspected to be officers from the Army Records Lokoja, along with security details of the Governor also went to the House of Assembly and displaced police men stationed at the complex.
Members of the House were not happy that the Kogi Governor disobeyed both the resolutions of the House and a court ruling asking that he reinstates Jimoh Momoh, the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
Ali Isa (PDP-Gombe) while making his contribution said the Governor has shown contempt for the rule of law. According to him, Bello has committed impeachable offences and the House ought to commence impeachment proceedings against him.
The House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila insisted that the House should take action on the issue, adding that this time whatever decision the House takes should be fully implemented.
The House Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, while supporting the motion noted that the National Assembly has the powers under Sections 89 of the 1999 Constitution to invite anyone in Nigeria when investigating issues of national importance.
It had become necessary, he said, to invite the Kogi state governor to ascertain, “why the law hasn’t been respected”.
Last week, unknown gunmen reportedly invaded the legislative quarters, situated along Ganaja road. The gunmen were said to have been shooting sporadically into air and causing panic, Daily Trust reports.
Speaking on the incident, Prince Matthew Kolawole, the spokesman of the G-15 lawmakers said the gunmen left after shooting for over 30 minutes. He alleged that they came in in a long convoy, including a Toyota Hilux (KGHA 098) and went round the quarters.
Read more: https://www.naij.com/852935-house-reps-summon-kogi-gov-buratai-assembly-crisis.html
