Oladipo Adelowo X-rays the process that led to the impeachment, last week, of the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Honourable Mohammed Gamunu.Prior to the recent impeachment of the former Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Honourable Mohammed Tsowa Gamunu representing Edati Constituency, there had been allegations among his colleagues in the state legislature that his perceived weak leadership, coupled with his romance with the executive arm of government had hindered the assembly from sitting to perform its constitutional responsibilities, as well as not meeting up with the aspirations of the electorate. Gamunu is the thirdSpeakerin the state legislature saidto have suffered similar fate within the last five years existence of the present civilian administration in the state. The first victim of the impeachment saga, Honourable Mohammed Alkali, representing Enagi Constituency in 2007, was said to have been relieved of his Speakership after spending about three months in office. Similarly, the second Speaker, Honourable Ndako Kpaki, also from same constituency and who was brought in almost immediately by his colleagues as a child of circumstance to take over from where Alkali had stopped, was also removed some 24 hours after his assumption of office, following allegations of embezzlement of constituency funds. The man has been in the political doldrums in the state ever since.As the plans for the impeachment of Honourable Gamunu was being hatched by some aggrieved members ofthe assembly in the Power State, those whoclaimed to be in the know were of the view that with the way affairs of the state legislature was been run, it will not be able to record the stipulated number of sittings as requiredby the 1999 Constitution. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state was recently forced to call its 24 members out of the 27-member assembly for a meeting to resolve the lingering crisis, leaving out the remaining three members who were elected on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).Those that were alleged to be at the fore front of the agitation for the impeachment of the former Speaker, Nigerian Tribune gathered, were of the view that the leadership of the assembly had refused to call for a sitting since 17 April, decision which, according to the agitators, had thrown the state legislature into a temporary constitutional lacuna due to its failure to meet up with the required number of sittings. A meeting was said to have been organised by the PDP State Working Committee (SWC) to admonish its members in the state legislature not to initiate or support the impeachment of its leadership since they constituted a larger fraction of the membership.However, Nigerian Tribune further gathered that some of the aggrieved members were said to haveexpressed fears that the assembly may not meet up with the required 181 sittings for a legislative year, as contained in Section 104 of the constitution should they continue to be led by Honourable Gamunu. A member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said 'our last sitting was on 12 April, 2012 and there has not been any sitting since then because the leadership of the House felt there was a plan to impeach them, even when we have not met the number of sittings.' According to the lawmaker, it was the tension generated by the initial move to remove the Speaker that necessitated the PDP caucus in the House to be summoned by thestate leadership of theparty for a trouble-shooting meeting to avert the impeachment bid.While it was not clear whether the members were able to reach a consensus on the conditions set out by the party leadership for peace, majority of the legislators, who voted on the platform of the PDP, last Tuesday, staged what political analysts have described as a palace coup by impeaching Honourable MohammedTsowa Gamunu and immediately replaced him withanother PDP member representing Bida I Constituency, Honourable Isah Kawu.The removal of the embattled formerSpeaker followed a motion under matters of urgent public importance by the chairman of the House Committee on Information, Honourable Mohammed Lokogoma, which the impeached Speaker attempted to overrule, against the wish of the majority. Though the impeachment was not part of the Order of the day, Honourable Lokogoma, representing Washishi Constituency, moved the motion which was seconded byHonourable Shehu Fawa, a member of the Congress for Progressive Change [CPC] from Kontagora II Constituency.Gamunu, apparently aware of the impeachment move, called for the adjournment of the sitting but this was stoutly rebuffed by some of his colleagues who insisted that the House must hear the motion on matter of urgent public importance as moved by Lokogoma. At that moment, tempers began to rise, even to the extent that members on the opposing sides were engaged in fist cuffs, while the former Speaker attempted to walk away with the mace (the symbol of authority of the assembly) amid the commotion among members. However, those in supportofthe impeachment move over-powered the loyalists of the former Speaker and were thus able to retain the mace for the continuation of the session.The member representing Mokwa Constituency, Honourable Usman Adamu, drew the attention of the House to its Standing Rules on the implication of the Speaker walking away while the House was in Session. He subsequently nominated Honourable Isa Kawu to occupy the seat vacated by Gamunu and this was supported by all the members as a result of which Honourable Kawu was sworn in as the new Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly.Other leaders of the assembly removed in the process included the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Ahmed Bello, who was replaced by Honourable Abdulraman Gambo, representing Borgu Constituency and the Majority Leader, Honourable Mohammed Dada, representing Bosso Constituency who was replaced by Honourable Yusuf Kure from Paiko Constituency.Speaking with journalists thereafter, the new Speaker, Honourable Isa Kawu, thanked his colleagues for the confidence reposed in him, assuring that he wouldnot to let them down. He also spoke on the need for the state legislature to work in harmony with the executive arm of government for the development of the state. 'I feel very gratified by the task given to me by my colleagues. The House would want an improvement in the way things are, especially in the relationship between the executive and the legislature. Fundamentally speaking, we are duty-bound to be closer to the executive for the good of the people', he said, adding that the purpose of the change in the leadership of the state legislature was to make things better for the people and to work in the interest of the government, the party (PDP) and the general public.Apparently taking a cue from Lokogoma's claim that Gamunu was impeached over allegation ofincompetence and that, 'he has not been relating with us as members of the assembly', the new Speaker assured his members that 'my inter-personal relationship with GovernorMuazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State would remain personal, while my dealing with the executive would remain official.''To some analysts, such friendly comments and assurances by the beneficiary of the latest impeachment process in Niger State would have doused whatever fearand suspicionpossibly agitatingthe mindsof political gladiators in the state, particularly those in the executive arm of government. This fear was accentuated by the fact that some of the state lawmakers display an air of 'rascality' while rebuffing the plea of the PDP against the impeachment plot.Quite expectedly, the latest legislative coup has been described by the Niger State chapter of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) as democracy in action. It remains to be seen if the change of guard would lead to a more robust legislative business in the state.Further checks revealed that some of the House members were concerned that the Assembly would not meet up with the required 181 sittings for a legislative year as contained in section 104 of the constitution. A member who prefers anonymity said, 'our last sitting was on April 17, 2012 and there has not been sitting since then because the leadership of the house felt there was plan to impeach them even when we have not met the number of sittings. Meanwhile, Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC), Niger state chapter, has commended the House members for the bold step taken for the removal of their speaker, describing it as 'democracy in action'. In a press statement issued in Minna and signed by its state chairman, Mallam Umar Shuaibu, the party said the removal of the speaker by the house members has showed that 'they are neither rubber stamp nor a parastatal of the government. 'We specifically commend the Members of the State House of Assembly and salute their courage for taking this action irrespective of party affiliations. 'They have exhibited that the overall interest of Nigerlites is far beyond their party or individual interests'. Mallam Umar pointed out that the most interesting thing is that the new leadership emerged through democratic choice as against the despicable selection process that has been the lot of the state`s legislature, adding that 'the impeachment marks the beginning of the assertiveness which is a sure route to legislative independence which the country lacks'. According to him, 'the people of the state are also aware that the new Speaker is a principled gentleman and a man of uncommon courage. With him on the saddle of leadership, we look up to vibrant debates and meticulous scrutiny of government`s financial outlays, which are the hallmarks of legislative activism as against the docility of the past'.
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