By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
There appears to be a looming crises ahead of Monday’s official resumption of office of the chairman of Kagarko LGA of Kaduna States, as the Speakers of the LGA insists that the impeachment of the council chairman Hon. Rabo Nasara remains valid.
The council Chairman Hon. Nasara was on Wednesday last week allegedly declared impeached on allegations of financial misappropriation by eight of ten councilors led by the newly elected Speaker of the Legislative Council, Hon Danjuma Gajere Padalo.
Earlier, at a seating on 2nd November 2023, the eight councilors reportedly accused the former LGA legislative council Speaker Hon. Halilu Makama, of alleged flagrant abuse of powers vested in him as Speaker of the legislative council, which led to his impeachment in absential by the eight councilors.
The resolution of the LGA legislative council meeting held on 2nd of November 2023, at the council legislative chambers at the LGA secretariat, presented and considered 9 points agenda.
“The Legislative Council in its session of utmost necessity referred herein above and pursuant to the powers vested in it by Order V section 9 and in compliance with Order I section 15 (1) of the Kaduna State of Nigeria Rules of the 23 Local Government Legislative Councils 2018 the following resolutions were duly presented and considered as follows:
“That Hon. Halilu Makama has flagrantly abused the powers vested in him as the Speaker of the Legislative Council Kagarko Local Government Area Kaduna whereby he has conducted himself in a manner that he has willfully denied members of the Legislative Council from debating and voting on any issue presented to the Council, especially as he acted in the proceedings of 23rd October, 2023 contrary to Orders IV and VI Of the Kaduna State of Nigeria rules
of the 23 Local Government Legislative Councils 2018.
“That Hon. Halilu Makama has never as the Speaker of the Legislative council
Informed and. presented to the Council any business from the suspended
Executive Chairman, Mr. Nasara Auza Rabo for legislative deliberations and
approval but used to give approval
unilaterally thereby denying the Legislative council the performance of its lofty function of checks and balance on the excess of the Executive, the result of which was the huge financial
misappropriation that led to the suspension of the Chairman by Kaduna State House of Assembly, this attitude is contrary to Order II section 2 of the Kaduna state of Nigeria Rules of the 23 Local Government Legislative Councils 2018.
“That Hon. Halilu Makama has never allowed the Legislative Council to consider. and pass any appropriation bills in line with Order VII sections 3 (1) and 10 (1) the Kaduna State of Nigeria Rules of the 23 Local Government Legislative Council 2018 and for a majority decision to be taken as required under Order I
Section 6 (6) of the foregoing Rules”, it stated.
They continued “That Hon. Halilu Makama alone as a member and Speaker of the Legislative Council passed appropriation bills alone contrary to Order VII the Kaduna State of Nigeria Rules of the 23 Local Government Legislative Councils 2018 and connived with the suspended Chairman for assent for
their own personal motives.
“That Hon. Halilu Makama flagrantly neglected, failed and refused to
agree to a call and preside for an emergency meeting of Council over the
petition and allegations contained on a daily newspaper called “People
Daily”, of Thursday 26 October, 2023 which seriously goes to the image
of the local government.
“This act violated the Kaduna State of Nigeria Rules of the 23 local
Government Legislative Councils 2018 which allowed for emergency meeting as a matter of necessity.
“That based on the observed and well considered infractions of the law,
act of gross incompetence and abuse of office, the Legislative Council
further decided by majority that Hon. Halilu Makama is by this resolution
stands impeached as Speaker forthwith.
“That a copy of this resolution annexed with a notice of impeachment
shall be served on Hon. Halilu Makama for immediate notice./The Legislative Council also considered and elected Hon. Danjuma Gajere Padalo as its Speaker henceforth.
And “That the clerk of the Legislative Council shall be informed immediately of this development in compliance with Order I section 11 of the Kaduna
State of Nigeria Rules of the 23 Local Government Legislative Councils
2018”, as signed by the 8 members present at the session.
However, despite the impeachment, by the LGA councils, the House of Assembly clerk wrote later on 3rd November 2023, and recalled the impeached chairman, claiming he was directed by the State Assembly Speaker to write the letter lifting the suspension.
In a swift reaction to the letter of recall issued by the State House Assembly to the chairman by Clerk, the newly elected Speakers, Danjuma Gajere Padalo, however said the chairmen’s impeachment remains stand and valid.
“No shaking, Nasara Rabo former chairman, Kagarko LGA remains impeached”, the statement noted.
“The purported letter flying, which recalled the suspended Chairman of Kagarko LGA in the Social Media is an exercise within the bounds of the Kaduna State House of Assembly and neither the Speaker nor the Clerk of the House of Assembly. However, the exercise legitimately conducted in line with the Kaduna State of Nigeria Rules of the 23 local government legislative councils 2018 and extant laws remain valid, effective and irreversible.
“The power of impeachment of any local government Chairman, Speaker of the legislative council and any member of the legislative council remains the prerogative of the Majority of members of the Legislative Council and NOT that of House of Assembly or any other person so directed.
“The powers to reverse impeachment remains or lies within the Courts or the majority members of the Legislative Council.”, it stated.
