5 proofs you’ll lose as a lawmaker if you don’t break an opponent’s head

In from Ripples Nigeria . . . .

1. In 2006, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, eight lawmakers in the 24-member Plateau State House of Assembly, met in the assembly complex and impeached Governor Joshua Dariye. Despite the fact that eight people cannot form a quorum, the illegal impeachment stood and was effected by a security establishment that was loyal to President Obasanjo, who wanted Dariye to go. They did not break any head… they lost.

2. In 2013, five of the 32 members in the Rivers assembly attempted to impeach the speaker as a prelude to impeaching the then state governor, Rotimi Amaechi who had become a thorn in the flesh of former President Goodluck Jonathan. In fact, the five lawmakers, led by a man called Evans Bipi who described former first lady Patience Jonathan as his ‘Jesus’ impeached the speaker in a mock sitting. However, the 22 lawmakers in the majority regrouped, came back to the assembly, and in a shameful spectacle, a free-for-all fight ensued, leading to one of the lawmakers using a mace and smashing the head of his colleague. In the end, with the backing of Governor Amaechi, the minority did not have its way. They broke a head… they won.

3. In Edo state in 2014, nine PDP lawmakers got into the assembly and impeached the speaker and other principal officers. When the majority lawmakers got wind of the plot, they stormed the assembly, there was a fight, and again with the backing of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, the majority APC lawmakers had their way. Well, not sure if a head was broken, but there was a fight… the majority won.

Read also: Reps march to Kogi Assembly with 10-man probe panel

4. Then in Ekiti in November 2014, seven lawmakers in the PDP, with the backing of Governor Ayo Fayose and the security establishment, impeached the speaker who was backed by the majority 19 members of the assembly. This bunch of gangsters approved commissioner-nominees, the state budget and performed several other legislative activities which were clearly illegal, but which went unchallenged because Fayose was an ally of former President Jonathan. Section 92, subsection 2(c) of the constitution says that, “The speaker or deputy speaker of the House of Assembly shall vacate his office if he is removed from office by a resolution of House of Assembly by votes of not less than two-third majority of members of the House.” Clearly that was not the case, but Fayose and his gang of five did not care. The majority lawmakers broke no head… they lost.

5. Now in Kogi, the illegality has begun following the election of Yahaya Bello as governor under the platform of the APC. Bello and his new deputy, Simon Achuba, reportedly orchestrated the so-called impeachment of the speaker of the Kogi assembly, Honourable Momoh Jimoh, using just five members in a twenty-member assembly. Never mind the fact that at least 14 lawmakers are needed to effect such a plan. The lawless five members elected Umar Imam as the new Speaker of the House. So what happens now?

There are people calling on the national assembly to take over the functions of the Kogi state assembly. Whatever the case, this is the height of lawlessness and is not something Nigerians expected in this new dispensation.

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