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20 lawmakers have reportedly
fled to Kaduna following the arrest of the speaker of Zamfara State
House of Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Garba
Rikiji, his deputy, Muhammad Abubakar Gumi, the majority leader, Isah
Abdulmumini and the chief whip, Abdullahi Dansadau by
operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) over their alleged
plan to impeach Governor Abdulaziz Yari.
fled to Kaduna following the arrest of the speaker of Zamfara State
House of Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Garba
Rikiji, his deputy, Muhammad Abubakar Gumi, the majority leader, Isah
Abdulmumini and the chief whip, Abdullahi Dansadau by
operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) over their alleged
plan to impeach Governor Abdulaziz Yari.
According to Daily Trust, the fleeing members of the
Assembly issued a statement, last
night, calling on President Buhari to intervene in what they term abuse of office by Governor Yari.
Assembly issued a statement, last
night, calling on President Buhari to intervene in what they term abuse of office by Governor Yari.
Governor Yari is being accused of
misappropriating financial allocation to the state, and failing to
implement the budget in the last five years. The statement, which was signed by the House Committee Chairman on
Information, Mannir Aliyu Gidan Jaja, also accused the governor of corrupt usage of local government funds for state purposes.
misappropriating financial allocation to the state, and failing to
implement the budget in the last five years. The statement, which was signed by the House Committee Chairman on
Information, Mannir Aliyu Gidan Jaja, also accused the governor of corrupt usage of local government funds for state purposes.
Other charges levelled against the governor include “Inadequate explanation of N1 billion commercial agriculture (CBN) loan,
non-remittance of pension funds to pension administrators,
non-remittance of 5 percent emirate councils funds, the gross
misappropriation of bailout funds to the state by the federal government
to settle workersโ salaries, including N10b for 2014 and N1.46b in
2016.”
non-remittance of pension funds to pension administrators,
non-remittance of 5 percent emirate councils funds, the gross
misappropriation of bailout funds to the state by the federal government
to settle workersโ salaries, including N10b for 2014 and N1.46b in
2016.”
The lawmakers also accused Yari of crippling governance
in the state through his constant travelling abroad and instead of
addressing the issues, he “resorted to political intimidation, arrest
and detention of
principal officers of the House and other supporting staff.”
in the state through his constant travelling abroad and instead of
addressing the issues, he “resorted to political intimidation, arrest
and detention of
principal officers of the House and other supporting staff.”
Zamfara State Police Commissioner, Mr Istifanus Shattima, disclosed that
he has deployed additional operatives to stop mobs from disrupting
normal activities at the House of Assembly.
Shattima told Daily Trust that deployment of troops to the Assembly was
in response to the action of a mob which attacked the private residence
of the speaker.
in response to the action of a mob which attacked the private residence
of the speaker.
The speakerโs residence was attacked by mobs after rumours circulated in
the state and the social media, that the lawmakers were planning to impeach Governor Yari.
the state and the social media, that the lawmakers were planning to impeach Governor Yari.
