The Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader and Chief Whip of the Niger State House of Assembly have been impeached on Thursday during plenary session by the state legislators
The impeachment occurred dramatically despite moves against the development by the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, when some members who were said to have been dissatisfied by the situation of things in the Legislative chambers.
The impeached leaders were said to be incompetent in discharging their constitutional responsibilities.
They include the Majority Leader who is the member representing Kontagora constituency, Honourable Saleh Ibrahim; the deputy majority leader, member representing Gurara constituency, Honourable Binta Mamman and the Chief Whip who is the member representing Agwara constituency, Honorable Bello Ahmed
The drama began when the Member representing Edati Constituency, Honourable Salihu Tama stood up to present a motion under the matter of urgent public importance but was overruled by the Speaker who said that he was not presented the motion before the plenary and as such, the legislator cannot be allowed to make his presentation.
The speaker was however overruled when the legislators took time to school him that motions under matters of public importance do not require the Speaker to see it in writing before it is presented.
“I gave him the opportunity to speak. The understanding is that he said he had a motion and the motion is being typed and it is almost complete. I now asked him if it is ready, and he said that the motion is for flooding in Edati local government area and that it is almost ready and that was why I said I haven’t given him the basis to speak. I overruled him because he didn’t give me the motion before the sitting. And that is my stand on this,” the speaker said.
Several members who spoke stated that such written notice has never been the practice of the Assembly while calling on the Speaker to point out the session in the rules of standing order for overruling the legislator from making his presentation.
The member representing Borgu Constituency, Hon Mohammed Abba Bala while challenging the Speaker’s stand said, “if a matter of public importance is not put to writing, will it not be presented? Has that always been the practice? I know of several cases where this is not the case in this House.
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“Why is it that someone is asking for his constitutional right and you didn’t allow him? It is not part of our rules that matters of public importance at any time must be given to the Speaker before it is said during the plenary. Why are you being partial? Your overruling on this matter cannot stand.”
The member representing Bosso Constituency, Hon. Malik Madaki Bosso argued that the speaker was wrong in overruling the legislator without pointing him to the section either in the constitution or in the Assembly standing order.
He said: “You need to draw his attention to the provision of the constitution which says that he must give you a copy of the motion before it is presented on the floor of the house. You overruled him without letting him know how he has gone wrong.
“If you are overruling him, draw the attention of the house to that part of the standing order. What you are saying has never been the case in the past, if there has been an amendment, the House need to know and be informed about it.”
When he was finally given the opportunity to speak, the member representing Edati Constituency, Hon. Salihu Mohammed Tama moved for the impeachment of the Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, and the Chief Whip.
“As a matter of urgent public importance, I move the impeachment of Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, and the Chief Whip, for their incompetence to discharge their constitutional responsibility,” he said.
The motion was thereby seconded by the member representing Borgu Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Abba Bala, as the legislators chose the successors of the impeached principal officers.
The new leadership of the Assembly include the Majority Leader who is the member representing Borgu Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Abba Bala; Hon. Malik Madaki Bosso, representing Bosso Constituency is the Deputy Majority Leader while Honourable Salihu Tama Edati is the new Chief Whip.
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