Vexed, Reps summon Gov Bello, Army chief over crisis in Kogi Assembly

Peeved by the continued disobedience of its resolution and order on the crisis plaguing the Kogi State House of Assembly, the House of Representatives, Tuesday, summoned the State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai to appear before it.

The members of the lower chamber of the National Assembly also accused the governor of encouraging five out of the 25-member legislature to continue sitting, defying a resolution of the National Assembly in which it assumed control of the state assembly.

It would be recalled that the G5 faction of the state lawmakers recently passed the 2016 Appropriation Bill of the state and also approved the nominees for commissioners and special advisers for Bello.

The governor and the Army chief are to appear before a panel constituted by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and chaired by Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The Chief of Army Staff was summoned over allegations that Gov Bello secured the services of soldiers to give protection to five members to continue to sit and make laws for the state.

The decision of the House was sequel to a motion of urgent national importance moved by a member from Enugu State, Mr. Chukwuemeka Ujam.

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The session was a stormy one in which angry Reps also threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against Bello.

Rep Ali Isa from Gombe State said: “We can begin a process to impeach the governor. Before law as it stands today, the National Assembly is the legislative House of Kogi State.”

Ujam, while speaking on the motion, reeled out instances of what he termed, “illegality and impunity” in the state beginning from May 31.

According to him, on May 31, masked armed men reportedly invaded the legislative quarters in Lokoja, “shooting into the air and causing pandemonium in an attempt to either assassinate the G-15 members of the Kogi State House of Assembly or intimidate them from carrying out their legislative functions.”

Ujam also said the House is aware that the armed military men were alleged to be officers of the Nigerian Army led by one Captain Usman from Nigerian Army Records, Lokoja in company with the Chief Security Detail and escorts of the governor.

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