Kano Assembly Shut over Plan to Remove speaker

  •  Sitting adjourned for one month

By Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

The Kano State House of Assembly was Monday morning sealed off by the police, following moves to remove the speaker, Abdullahi Yusuf Ata, by some members of the house.

However, sources close to the House confided in THISDAY that as at Sunday night, 21 lawmakers had duly signed in support of the removal of the speaker.

It was further confirmed that already, the principal officers of the House had been removed having got the 21 lawmakers’ signatures for their impeachment.

“The principal officers have already been impeached by the signatures of 21 lawmakers. All what we need now is only six members to meet the requirement of two-thirds to impeach the speaker without delay,” the source said.

On why the lawmakers resolved to remove the leaders of the House, he said: “The reasons are many but the major one is incompetency. The speaker has virtually localised the House.

“We cannot sit until after 2pm and even at that things are not moving as expected. We cannot just continue like that because we are representing our constituencies.”

Reacting to the House’s move, the speaker, Ata, noted that as a Muslim, who believes in destiny, he will accept his removal in good faith.

Ata, who spoke to newsmen, said the attempt by some members of the House to remove him has nothing to do with competence as alleged.

He said: “In anything there is starting and ending point. If Allah has designed it that my time is up, nobody will extend it by a second. And if it is not time, nobody can remove me from office, that is my belief.

“My happiness is that I didn’t steal anybody’s money. So, if today, they remove me from office, I will leave, but nobody will accuse me of stealing. I have a constituency that I am representing.”

The speaker also adjourned the House plenary session from Monday, May 14, 2018 to the end of June 2018, stating that the adjournment is to allow members prepare for Ramadan and Idil-Fitr.

He enjoyed the members and the general public to make good use of the holy month in praying for forgiveness and progress of Kano State and Nigeria at large.

However, the fierce-looking policemen have laid siege to the House, as the exit and entrance of the House were under lock and key.

The spokesman of the police in Kano, SP Magaji Musa Majia, confirmed the deployment of the police in the House.

The move to seal off the House, according to sources, was to possibly avert the removal of the speaker, as members have been forced to proceed on a month recess.

Ata succeeded Alhaji Kabiru Alhasssan Rurum, who resigned from office in June, last year following an allegation of corruption against him.

Related Articles