Zamfara deputy governor; the road to impeachment

When Zamfara State, Governor Bello Matawalle picked his Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, son of retired General Aliyu Muhammad Gusau as his running mate in 2018, it was a relationship based on trust and mutual understanding between the two politicians.

Even though the choice of the Deputy governor took many by surprise but pundits believe the governor, decided to pick him because of the influence of his father.

A source who pleaded anonymity remarked that he was not the preferred candidate as people were taunting for Senator Sahabi Kaura representing Zamfara Western senatorial district.

According to the source, even though, Sahabi was the one people were expecting but after the governor made his decision known we decided to show align with the governor and support them.

Since then, the relationship between the two became robust and the state government gave his Deputy full support when they assumed duty on the 29th of May 2019.

For instance, at different fora, the governor addressed his deputy as his younger brother. It was learnt he approved millions of naira as office impress to allow him functions. On several occasions, he represented the governor.

However, trouble started for the Deputy Governor when the governor decided to dump the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress in July 2021 last.

Matawalle who announced his defection that evening at the Gusau Trade Fair Complex were 11 governors attended the epic event, as well as ministers and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha did so alone without his Deputy Governor.

In the same vein, federal lawmakers from the state who were also members of PDP also announced their defection to the APC.

The state deputy governor, Mahdi Aliyu, and a member representing Talata Mafara/Anka in the State House of Assembly, Kabiru Yahaya, however, decided to remain in the opposition People Democratic Party (PDP).

Findings gathered that the impeached Deputy Governor decided to leave the state on Tuesday before the defection ceremony.

The impeached Deputy Governor had said while addressing newsmen that he was opposed to joining the APC because the court awarded the electoral victory in 2019 to the PDP and not just its candidates.

As a Barrister, he quickly went to court to secure a court order to stop any government agencies, or persons from removing him from office.

But it was clear that his impeachment was just a matter of time. Few months after the dust has settled. A member of the state House of Assembly representing Maru in the state House of Assembly, Yusuf Kanoma raised a motion against the impeached Deputy Governor. He lured his colleagues to summon the impeached Deputy Governor to come and explain why over 100 people were killed in the state but in that very week, he made a grant entry into the state capital holding rally when the state wherein mourning.

With a subsisting court order, he refrained from coming to the Assembly insisting that he can not violate the court.

Thus, the cat and mouse game continued until last week when the news started emerging that the state number two man will be impeached.

Part of the allegations levelled against him was his failure to account for the office impress approved for him by Governor, he was also accused of not discharging his duties assigned to him by the governor

Thus, the hallmark was the setting up of a seven-man panel by the Chief Justice of the state, Justice Kulu Aliyu on the 14th of February to investigate this gross misconduct and abuse of office levelled against him on Monday.

The which has Justice Halidu Tanko-Soba as Chairman, with Oladipo Okpeseyi (SAN), Abdul-Atadoga Ibrahim (SAN), Hussaini Zakariyau, (SAN), Amina Tanimu-Marafa, Alhaji Sani Mande and Ahmad Buhari-Rabah, as members commenced sitting the following day Tuesday.

When the panel began sitting in Gusau, Secretary to the Panel, Sani Tsafe, confirmed that he had been served the Deputy Governor with all the necessary Processes/Notice through electronic means.

He told the panel that he forwarded the Notice to Aliyu-Gusau’s verified email and WhatsApp platform, and presented the scanned copies as evidence of successful delivery.

Also testifying Counsel to the complainant (Zamfara House of Assembly), Nasiru Jangebe, presented seven witnesses who would testify during the sitting of the panel.

Earlier, the Speaker, Nasiru-Muazu Magarya, on Feb. 10 wrote to the Chief Justice to set up the panel following the Assembly”s sitting on Feb. 7 which served the Deputy Governor with a Notice of Impeachment over alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office.

Even though, Aliyu Gusau had addressed the press saying he would not appear because there is a court order preventing the lawmakers from impeaching him. But the House had through its House Committee on Information, Alh Shamsudeen Bosko said, ‘No court can stop the impeachment.

He argued further that the process (impeachment) was in line with Section 188 (5) (7), as well as Section 190 of the 1999 Constitution.

Recall, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on Monday, Feb.14, warned the Zamfara House of Assembly against the plan to impeach the Aliyu-Gusau.

Justice Inyang Ekwo had issued the warning after Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), counsel to the Deputy Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), prayed the court to restrain the lawmakers from carrying out the plan.

Although Justice Ekwo did not specifically give the restraining order, saying since parties in the suit had subjected themselves to the court’s jurisdiction, no party should take any action during the pendency of the matter.

True to their words when finally on Wednesday 23rd the members of the panel presented their report to the House, the House in a unanimous decision impeached the Deputy Governor within three hours of presenting the report.

The Speaker, Nasiru Magarya had said 20 out of the 21 lawmakers voted for the motion to impeach the Deputy Governor. Immediately after his impeachment, the governor, Bello Matawalle sent the name of Senator Hassan Nasiha as the new Deputy Governor for screening. He was subsequently screened and named as the new Deputy Governor.

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