GOV, LAWMAKERS ON COLLISION OVER SUSPENSION OF LG BOSS

Gov, lawmakers on collision over suspension of LG boss

From EMMANUEL ADEYEMI, Lokoja
Thursday, March 11 , 2010
Governor Ibrahim Idris
Governor Ibrahim Idris of Kogi State may have incurred the wrath of members of the state House of Assembly over his decision to unilaterally reduce the three-month suspension slammed on Ogori-Mangogo Local Government Area chairman, Gabriel Daudu to one month.

The local government boss was suspended by the legislature a forthnight ago over charges that bordered on corruption and abuse of office.

When the matter was brought before the House, members unanimously ratified the suspension order and directed Daudu to appear before a committee which had been set up to defend himself over several allegations levelled against him by the legislative arm.

But Daily Sun gathered that instead of Daudu obeying the directives of the House, he went on the state radio to lambast the legislative council saying they have no constitutional power to suspend him from office.

In order to douse the already charged atmosphere which the action of the chairman generated, Daily Sun gathered that the state exco of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) invited both the embattled chairman, and the legislative council along with the stakeholders in the council for reconciliation.

Daily Sun further gathered that the chairman who went to the court to challenge his suspension from office, was asked to withdraw his suit so that the governor could intervene in the matter.

This, it was gathered, made Governor Idris to hold a closed door meeting with both the chairman, the legislative and stakeholders in the area, where he later constituted a panel of elders to look into the case and come out with a report on how the matter could best be resolved.

But the governor was said to have technically brushed aside the elders' committee's report which indicted the chairman and went ahead to announce the reduction of the three-month suspension to one month without looking into the allegations of corrupt practices levelled against the chairman.

The governor was also quoted to have directed the acting chairman not to tamper with the recently released intervention fund given to the council along with other funds. But reacting to the directive yesterday, youths from Ogori-Magogo in their hundreds stormed the Assembly complex with various placards condemning the action of the state governor.