Nasarawa Assemblymen Move To Impeach Governor Over Insecurity

SAN FRANCISCO, November 23, (THEWILL) – Plans to impeach the Nasarawa State Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura moved into a higher gear on Friday afternoon after the State House of Assembly completed an emergency session where a warning letter was read to the governor at the Assembly complex in Lafia the state capital saying he faces certain impeachment if he fails to end the violent crises rocking parts of the state in seven days.

The impeachment process which was began by Speaker of the House Musa Ahmed Mohammed (PDP, Nasarawa-Central) after declaring the emergency sitting open was wrapped up in barely an hour.

House Majority Leader, Godiya Akwashiki (PDP, Nasarawa-Eggon-West), who read out the day's order titled "House Resolution on Security Issues and other Sensitive Matters in the State", as well as a "Deliberation on the House Resolution on Security", also read out the warning letter to the governor which was seconded by the Minority Leader, Adamu Maikatako (CPC, Lafia-Central).

The Speaker of the House who declared the emergency sitting open at about 12:50pm also read out the resolution of the last sitting that asked the governor to urgently take steps to end the violence that has engulfed the southern zone of the state.

Akwashiki, who spoke for more than 12 minutes after the Speaker had introduced the motion, observed that the governor failed to comply with the an earlier resolution which asked him to take steps to end the violence which has affected many communities and displaced thousands. Unfortunately, he continued, the governor has folded his hands to watch his compatriots killed daily in cold blood.

The majority leader said the governor’s reluctance to deal with the situation has led to a total breakdown of law and order resulting in arson attacks on some communities and in the latest case over 10 people were killed in Agyaragu, on the outskirts of Lafia, on Wednesday. To him this was just not disturbing but also a clear demonstration of Governor Al-Makura's government's insensitivity, incompetence and total disregard for the constitutional provisions which mandate him to protect lives and property in the state.

Having made his position clear, Akwashiki on behalf of his colleagues read out that the House resolved that Al-Makura be given seven days from today, Friday, to end the violence in the zone, or members will invoke Section 188 (1), to impeach him.