Yakubu Dogara to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom as illegal. In a joint statement, the two leaders, who are being expected to join the Peoples Democrati
Yakubu Dogara to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom as illegal. In a joint statement, the two leaders, who are being expected to join the Peoples Democratic Party, from the All Progressives Congress, said the move was a desecration of the legislative sanctity where 22 other members, the majority, are kept away from the Assembly Complex by the police.
Saraki and Dogara called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and stop them being used to achieve political purposes.
“We have monitored closely the development in Benue State in which the impeached Speaker, Terkimbir Ikyange, led seven other members to serve impeachment notice on the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, while the 22 other members who constitute more than two-third majority have been prevented from having access to the chamber. We believe this is illegality and does not conform to parliamentary procedure on impeachment.
“We also note with surprise the role of the Police in this undemocratic event in which the minority is seeking to impeach a Governor against the position of the majority. We believe it is the sacred institution of the legislature that is being desecrated and rubbished in all these negative developments. The situation in Benue State House of Assembly has grave implication for the nation’s democracy and it represents a throw-back to the period of dictatorship in our country. It also represents how the Nigeria Police are being misused to achieve political end.
“What we are seeing in Benue now is a return to that inglorious era. We believe this unlawful and unconstitutional move to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom by a minority should be condemned by all lovers of democracy, at home and abroad. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and prevent a break-down of law and order. We also call on friends of Nigeria in the international community to lend their voice in condemning the perpetration of illegalities and actions that can subvert our democracy. There is already a tense atmosphere in Benue State following the recent killings. Nobody should encourage any action or move which may exacerbate the security situation in the North Central State,” Saraki and Dogara concluded in their joint statement.
Eight members of the Benue State House of Assembly, out of the 30 members of the ruling party, yesterday served an impeachment notice to the governor of the state, Samuel Ortom. The lawmakers based their move on allegations of diversion of state funds and abuse of office against the Governor. The eight legislators who took over the chambers of the House without the mace and the clerk, were protected by heavily armed policemen and operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, who prevented the 22 other members all belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from entering the chambers. The majority of 22 members immediately relocated to the Banquet Hall of the Government House where they sat with the mace, the clerk of the House in place and suspended seven of the eight members involved.
The former speaker of the House, Terkimbi Ikyange, who led the group of eight, had earlier been suspended for six months. The developments in the North Central state immediately raised a storm across the country with sweeping condemnation of the breach on the country’s democratic culture. Governor Ortom, who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, immediately pointed accusing finger at his erstwhile political patron, Senator George Akume, who he accused of working in cahoots with the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris and Director General of the DSS, Lawal Daura, to destabilise the state.
