15th August, 2013
An attempt to impeach the Kaduna Speaker, Muazu Usman Gangara, was thwarted Thursday by some members of the state House of Assembly loyal to the speaker.
The speaker’s loyalists ensured that a quorum could not be formed to actualise the impeachment, as many of them stayed away from today’s proceedings in the House.
P.M.NEWS gathered the move to impeach the Speaker was spear-headed by some members of his ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who claimed he is not competent enough to lead the house.
Gangara was also alleged to have misappropriated funds belonging to the Assembly. The attempt to remove him intensified Wednesday, with his traducers vowing to impeach him today.
However, when the House reconvened today at about 10a.m., a few members were present so they couldn’t form a quorum to discuss the contending issues.
They only discussed a Bill to establish Barrau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna and within a few minutes all of them dispersed.
A member of the House who spoke to P.M.NEWS under anonymity, said the reasons raised for Gangara’s impeachment were frivolous and not serious enough to warrant the removal of the speaker.
According to him, the members that mooted the idea were only “selfish and inconsiderate and this was why we thwarted it”.
He stated further, “we suspect a fowl play from forces outside the House who want to send him out as a speaker to fortify their political empire towards 2015.”
Two of the Pro-Gangara members in the House today told P.M.NEWS that they would continue to frustrate the move to impeach him.
Though they expressed fears that members rooting for Gangara’s impeachment have been well mobilised by some powerful people in Abuja and the state, they vowed to support him to the last.
After today ‘s brief sitting, Alhaji Shehu Adamu, House Minority Leader representing Maigana Constituency, told newsmen that the members met behind closed doors to resolve amicably the issues raised against the speaker.
—Femi Adi/Kaduna