… Suspends 8 members that impeached him
Hon. Nuhu Abok Ayuba, the speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly who was reportedly impeached by his colleagues in the morning hours of Thursday, 28th October has gone ahead to hold plenary.
Ayuba was impeached after a vote of no confidence by 8 out of the 24 Members of the Assembly.
The lawmakers appointed Sanda Yakubu, member representing Pingana constituency in the state’s Bassa Local Government Area, to replace the impeached speaker.
The impeached Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly was seen in a picture that’s trending on social media holding plenary outside the Assembly complex with some other lawmakers.
Ayuba while speaking with newsmen after the sitting said that they had been standing for the people of Plateau and for the truth.
“We will continue to stand for justice, we will stand for the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we will stand for democracy,” he said.
Mr Philip Dasun, Deputy Majority (APC, Pankshin South) at the sitting which had 14 members in attendance, moved the motion for the suspension of six of the eight members that carried out what he described as an illegal impeachment.
Dasun said that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Section 92, subsection 2C, had stipulated a clear procedure on how to impeach a speaker or a deputy speaker.
The deputy majority leader who is also the House Committee Chairman on Information and Communication, said that non of the procedures was followed by the members who allegedly impeached the speaker.
He said that the members did not form quorum to sit and that they did not have a two-third majority required by law to impeach a speaker.
“They went against Section 92(2c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Order 7 rule 14 of Standing Orders of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
“I, therefore, move that the six members that carried out the illegality be suspended till further notice.
“They include; Baba Hassan (APC, Jos North-North), Saleh Yipmwang (APC, Dengi), Daniel Naanlong (APC, Mikang), Eric Dakogol (APC, Quanpan North), Mohammed Ballo (APC, Quanpan South) and Yakubu Sanda (APC, Pengana)”.
Dasun’s motion was seconded by Peter Gyendeng, (PDP, Barkin Ladi), Minority Leader of the Assembly.
Dasun also moved a motion of vote confidence to be passed on Abok Ayuba as the authentic speaker of the 9th Plateau State House Assembly.
He challenged those whom claimed to have collected 16 signatures required by law to impeach the speaker to make the document public.
The motion was again seconded by Gyendeng affirming the lawmakers’ support Ayuba.
The impeachment which can best be described as an aberrations seems to have the blessings of the state government as the new speaker has been congratulated by the state.
Prof. Danladi Atu, Secretary to the Government of Plateau State, on Thursday in Jos congratulated the new Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, Yakubu Sanda, on his election.
Atu congratulated Sanda when some lawmakers, led by the Deputy Speaker Saleh Yipmong, presented the new speaker to him as representative of Gov. Simon Lalong.
“Mr Speaker, on behalf of the government and people of Plateau, we formally congratulate you for accepting the leadership of Plateau State House of Assembly.
“As a government of the day, our position has been that the legislature is autonomous.
“Whatever happens in the house is the business of the house, the Executive arm is a mere collaborator,’’ Atu said.
