Niger State House of Assembly
yesterday impeached its
Speaker, Alhaji Adamu Usman,
and elected Alhaji Isa Kawu as
the new Speaker.
The News Agency of Nigeria,
NAN, reports that this followed
the barring of the members
from accessing the complex
Tuesday morning by a
combined team of security
personnel from the Police, SSS
and the Civil Defence Corps.
Eighteen members out of 27
voted for Usman’s
impeachment, the motion was
moved by Mr Jacob Maaji
(Lavun constituency) and
seconded by Mr Ibrahim Dama
(Katcha constituency).
Other newly elected officials
included Alhaji Bello Agwara,
Deputy Speaker; Hajiya
Sa’adatu Kolo (Mashegu
constituency), Chief Whip, and
Alhaji Yusuf Kure as Majority
Leader.
After his swearing in by the
Clerk of the House, Kawu
pledged to ensure a
harmonious working
relationship in the legislature
within the short period
remaining.
‘’We will ensure that our
legislative duty continued as
usual and our oversight
functions will be strengthened
for better results to the
people,” he said.
Reacting to his removal outside
the Assembly complex, Usman
told newsmen that the
impeachment was null and
void, insisting that he remains
the speaker.
He said that the Chief Judge of
the state has given an order
restraining the House, the
Clerk and security agencies
from recognising the new
officials.
Usman added that no
allegation was levelled against
him that could warrant his
removal.
Meanwhile, Usman said his
alleged impeachment is a
warning sign for the state
Governor, Dr. Muazu
Babangida Aliyu to sit up, just
as he insisted he is still
Speaker.
But, the new Speaker, Kawu,
said the impeachment process
was not targetted at the
governor, saying: ” I am right
now, begining to even see
him.”
Usman at a press conference in
Minna, said the sacking of the
leadership of the house by the
19 members is null and void
and of no effect, arguing that,
he is still the speaker of the
house.
“I am alerting the governor
that he should be aware. He
should be aware that whatever
befalls me will befall him too.
He should be prepared.”
He expressed joy that the
action of the lawmakers was
not due to financial
mismanagement, saying:”
Since January 2015, we have
never received overhead cost
because of problems
associated with federation
account. Everybody is aware. I
do not control finance, as it
comes I disburse. So, the
impeachment beats my
imagination.
The embattled Speaker
explained that already, an
order of interim injunction
restraining the defendants
(lawmakers) jointly and
sererally from setting in motion
any process of impeachment
pending the hearing and
determination of the motion on
notice signed by Justice Fati
Abubakar has been served to
them.
“Whatever you see today is
illegal because the Mace is
under my custody. So
whatever decision they took
today (Tuesday), is illegal.”
“Myself the Speaker, my
deputy, the Chief Whip and the
Majority Leader are still in
charge. There are grudges that
government had not done
anything to them as expected.
We are making efforts to see
what we can do about it. But
we are hearing they carried
out an impeachment without
any offence.
Kawu insisted that the decision
taken by the 19 lawmakers
was in conformity with the
rules of the game.

nationalmirroronline.net/new/niger-assembly-impeaches-speaker-elects-kawud/

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