21st December, 2011
Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abdullahi Yusuf Falgore of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has been impeached.
He was impeached Tuesday evening after a rowdy session following a motion moved by Lawal Safiano Gogori, PDP, representing Bagwai/Shanono constituency, alleging incompetency, lack of leadership qualities and sowing a seed of discord among members.
The impeachment proceedings was presided by the Deputy Speaker, Isiaku Ali Danja. The impeached Speaker was said to be away in Abuja at the time of the impeachment.
Thirty-two out of the 40 members of the House voted in favour of the impeachment.
The motion was seconded by Yaya Yunusa Daba, PDP, of Dawakin Tofar constituency and was immediately adopted by the majority of members of the House.
After the impeachment, the House held election to elect a new Speaker. Three aspirants, Ibrahim Abba of Garko constituency, Kabiru Alhasan Rurum of Rano constituency and Gambo Salau of Kiru constituency contested for the position. Gambo Salau emerged the new Speaker after scoring 22 votes.
A close associate of the impeached speaker who does not want his name mentioned alleged that Alhaji Yusuf’s removal was orchestrated by the state executive for reasons he simply termed “political.”
A top government official, however, rejected this, saying: “The state executive council led by Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has not in any way interferred with the business of the state House of Assembly because this government strongly believes in and upholds separation of powers.”
A lawmaker also accused the impeached Speaker of being an “errand boy” of the governor, “and has reduced the House to a mere toy of the state executive.”
P.M.NEWS reports that there was palpable tension within the Assembly as party supporters were sighted shouting over the development.
By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano