The factional Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Godwin Osiyi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-Ogori-Magongo, has recounted the six grounds on which 17 members of the House impeached Alhaji Momoh-Jimoh Lawal of the same PDP-Okene II, was impeached on December 10 this year.
He said that the six grounds arose from general feeling of discontentment among members.
Addressing newsmen in Lokoja today, Godwin Osiyi said that one of the reasons for the impeachment was the former speaker’s gross incompetence and lack of capacity and confidence to preside over the proceedings of the 6th Assembly.
Other reasons, he said, included the former speaker’s insensitivity to members’ interest and plight and misrepresentation between the Assembly and the Executive for his personal interests and aggrandizement.
According to him mismanagement of the Assembly funds and other valuable resources and betrayal of trust members reposed on him as well as high-handedness in the administration of the Assembly “as he operates like a sole administrator” are other sins of the impeached speaker.
however, the embattled former speaker said that though he was not opposed to the impeachment, but that it ought to have followed due process.
He declared that the manner in which it was conducted contravened the House rules and procedures for impeachment.
Lawal alleged that legislators plotting his removal forged the signature of Umar Ahmed Imam (APC), the member representing Lokoja 1 Constituency, as one of the 17 members that signed the impeachment notice. [myad]
