Kaduna Speaker’s impeachment saga: behind-the-scene intrigues

Members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly impeached their Speaker in an apparent controversial circumstances, which falls short of the constitutional requirement.TONY AKOWE reports on the intrigues behind the move.

It started like a rumour when the Assembly resumed from its annual vacation on August 14, 2013 that members were jostling to impeach the Speaker and his deputy on allegations of corruption and other sundry issues which were not made public. Thus, the Assembly, which has remained out of the news for a long time, suddenly bounced back with various interest groups jostling to outdo each other in the game. Before then, the House was in the news over the controversy generated by the implementation of the SURE-P in the state. When the house resumed, the impeachment issue became the first issue on the front burner of the assembly presided over by Hon. Usman Muazu Gangara. The allegation against him was corruption and incompetence. But when the members went into the hallowed chambers to carry out their plan, only 20 of the 34 members were present and had signed up for the impeachment. That number is however less than the required two third of the entire members of the house which they need to carry out the impeachment as required by section 92 (2c) of the constitution.

The Nation was informed by sources close to the assembly that before the sitting, those who wanted Gangara out were sure of getting the required number to do so, but two of those who were supposed to be part of the plot stayed away from the assembly and all efforts to get them to come failed. However, two third of the 34 member assembly is 22.6. So, when they realised that the plan cannot be carried out, they decided to adjourn sitting, giving the Speaker and other Principal Officers of the House one month to resign.

However, when the house reconvened on Tuesday, September 24, 2013, the number that wanted the Gangara and his team out of the way had dropped to 18, five members short of the required 23. But they went ahead to carry out their plan.

The members went ahead to elect Philemon Usman as the Acting Speaker, who immediately took charge of affairs of the house.

The Nation investigations revealed that Gangara’s sins may not be unconnected with his handling of the indictment of the Executive in the execution of the 2012 SURE-P funds of the state.

However, the implementation of the scheme in the state has not gone down well with the people of the state, especially the state House of Assembly.

The House had suspended the implementation of the SURE-P programme in the state and in a letter to the Deputy Governor, who is the Chairman of the implementation committee of the programme, requested for information on the programme.

Some people in the state believe that the government may have been angered by the fact that the Speaker allowed the adoption of the report by the house. But this argument was quickly dismissed by those in support of the impeachment who argued that if he was to be punished because of the SURE-P, then Kantiok would not have been the one to move for his removal since the same Kantiok was the Chairman of the committee that investigated the SURE-P issue. But another school of thought believe that those who wanted him out merely want a balance of power within the state. With the Executive presently coming from the northern senatorial zone of the state and the deputy from the south, the speaker automatically comes from the central zone.

It is believed that the governor was more favourably disposed to Gidan Mana taking the position as a way of gaining the support of Southern Kaduna Christians for the 2015 elections. Although Gidan Mana represents Kakuri state constituency, he is originally a Jaba man from Kachia Local Government Area and one of the oldest members of the assembly. But some other lawmakers, especially from the northern part of the state, were said to have risen against that idea and this may have apparently truncated the move to impeach Gangara in August. However, those who didn’t want Gidan Mana to take the seat had their way when he was made to preside over the election of Shehu Tahir, also from the same Giwa Local Government to take over from Gangara.

Other sources also argued that although the Speaker was accused of corruption, powerful forces outside the Assembly may have moved for his head in order to check the powers of the former Secretary to the Yakowa government, Samaila Abdullahi Yakawada, who was believed to have influenced his emergence as Speaker in the first place. Gangara is believed to be the only Yakowa loyalist still standing and is therefore a threat since his loyalty to Yakawada has remained unshaken.

However the question being asked at the moment inlude : What direction is the once peaceful Kaduna State House of Assembly heading? The impeached leadership of the house are not giving up without a fight.

Though the new leadership of the house was put in place, the house could not continue its sitting that Thursday and had to take a radio announcement to announce the adjournment.

It was gathered that the Gangara-led leadership  headed for the courts to ensure that things are done the right way.

These confirm that the events of the next few days will determine which direction the pendulum will swing.

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