Abdullahi Bello

Shola Oyeyipo 

The embattled Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Bello, Thursday disclosed that his security personnel had been withdrawn at 2 am on Thursday by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. M.M. Katsina.

The withdrawal came just as Bello and other principal officers of the Assembly, who were impeached in controversial circumstances, stormed Abuja Thursday after holding a parallel parliamentary sitting in Lokoja where they resolved to write to the United Nations agencies and the international donors to rescue the state from flooding.

The lawmakers, therefore, called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Inspector-General Police (IG), Mohammed Abubakar, to call the state commissioner of Police, M.M. Katsina, to order. They also implored them and to ask him to restore Bello’s security aides.

Bello further stated that the faction that purportedly impeached him and his colleagues acted contrary to provisions of the constitution adding that a two-third majority was needed to impeach the speaker. According to him, only 12 of 25 members who did not form quorum carried out the impeachment.

Among other resolutions made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Bello-led 13 legislators was the sack of Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Habibat Deen, who represents Ankpa constituency I after a vote of no confidence was passed on her. She was immediately replaced with Hon. Abdullahi Zakari, representing Ankpa constituency II.

The faction at the meeting, also recalled the member representing Olamaboro constituency, Hon. Damian Adejoh, whom it  said was erroneously sacked and apologised to the entire state for its earlier action.