Impeachment and counter-impeachment in Kogi State House of Assembly
The drama in the Kogi State House of Assembly in North-Central Nigeria may be far from over as the impeached Principal Officers insist that the Speaker, Matthew Kolawole was impeached by 19 lawmakers.
The legislators maintain that Kolawole is no longer fit to occupy the seat of the Speaker over alleged financial impropriety, high-handedness, serial abuse of office, and refusal to abide by provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The Kogi State House of Assembly was without active legislative activities for several months until Friday, June 17 when the doors of the chambers were opened under tight security presence.
The lawmakers, who effected the impeachment of the Principal Officers, came to the Assembly complex in an air-conditioned bus, suggesting they were on a mission.
The mission became clearer when a motion for the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker Ahmed Mohammed and three others were raised.
The Majority Leader, Abdullahi Balogun who was also removed from office said before their purported impeachment, Matthew Kolawole had already been impeached by 19 of the lawmakers having being caught up in a web of corruption.
State Commissioner for Information, Kinsley Fanwo however, exonerates the executive from the allegation of fueling the crisis, adding that the legislature is independent in its operations.
