Chairman’s Impeachment Stands — Says Legislative Council, May Head To Court
In a heated confrontation, Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos, the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs in Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria, reportedly walked out the Speaker of the local government Legislative Council, Mr. Danjuma Gajere, from his office, after instructing him and other Council members to “shut up.”
The incident occurred during a meeting with LG councilors concerning the contentious recall of the suspended council chairman, Hon Nasara Rabo and the impeachment.
The Speaker, along with seven other councilors, out of 10 constituting the majority, had on Thursday, 2nd November in exercise of their powers as provided by the Kaduna State of Nigeria Rules of the 23 Local Government Legislative Councils 2018, impeached Nasara Rabo from office for gross misconduct and sundry corruption allegation which did not go down well with the Commissioner and some APC leaders in the state.
The Speaker and the seven councilors spoke to journalists expressing their disgust over the dictatorial treatment meted to them by the Commissioner, Sadiq Mamman Lagos emphasizing that the impeachment against Hon. Nasara Rabo stands and remains valid.
Disagreements arose when the Commissioner Lagos, during the meeting, declared that the suspended chairman would resume office, denying the existence of any impeachment.
According to the Speaker, Majority Leader and other members of Kagarko LG Legislative Council, the commissioner, upon summoning them for the meeting insisted the Councilors would not enter his office with their mobile phones to prevent them from recording the proceedings.
Tensions heightened when Commissioner, Sadiq Lagos asserted that he had received a letter from the Kaduna State House of Assembly suspending the Speaker, Majority Leader and the 6 Councilors that met to impeach Nasara Rabo who was suspended by the same Assembly.
The Councilors disclosed that at the meeting, Commissioner Sadiq Lagos claimed that he and the resinstated Chairman, Nasara Rabo had pleaded with the Speaker of the State Assembly to drop the idea of suspending the Councilors.
Sources close to the Assembly revealed that the State Assembly’s reinstatement of the suspended Chairman was surreptitiously carried out to counter the Legislative Council impeachment of Nasara Rabo.
According to the Councilors, the Commissioner warned that failure to comply with the directive for rescind the impeachment would result either in their outright suspension or dissolution of the entire LG council.
The 8 Councilors; 5 of APC and 3 of PDP who were visibly furious over the shabby treatment they received at the Ministry for Local Government Affairs lamented that what transpired in Commissioner’s office was nothing reminiscent of the long forgotten military government where democracy was an abberation. “We honestly do not know how and why the Commissioner was so autocratic in nature during the meeting, stating that the commissioner just called us, talked to, elected representatives and appointed, as if he was talking to primary school pupils or labourers on his farmland and then gave us the order for the reinstatement of the chairman at all costs. This is certainly undemocratic and unacceptable especially given the fact that we acted according to law,” the Councilors averred.
The embittered Councilors said despite their attempts to voice their concerns, the Commissioner vehemently refused to allow any discussion while threatening those who raised objections with suspension including the PDP opposition Councilors.
They said the Speaker, Hon Danjuma Gajere Padalo who insisted to speak was later allowed to speak but when he reminded the commissioner that they acted according to the Kaduna State law for the 23 local governments and the rest of the Councilors chorused yes, the Commissioner had to eventually walk him out of the office.
The Majority Leader echoed the Speaker’s sentiments, describing the meeting as autocratic and expressing disbelief that such an executive order could be given without proper dialogue. He revealed that the commissioner dismissed their impeachment letter, instructing them to respect Hon. Nasara Rabo’s return to office.
The Councilors expressed frustration, emphasizing their commitment to the impeachment process and calling for justice through legal channels.
The Councilors insisted that the impeachment of Nasara Rabo stance and remains valid and that only a court of competent jurisdiction can overturn it while highlighting their dedication to democracy and the rule of law.
All the six Councilors who participated in the impeachment affirmed their support for the Speaker and Majority Leader, standing by the legitimacy of the impeachment process.
It should be noted that the Kagarko council chairman had previously been asked to step aside by the State Assembly for an investigation into alleged contract fraud within the LGA.