Kogi Assembly Suspends Nine  Members, Eight LG Chairmen over Anti-party Activities

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Kogi State House of Assembly has suspended nine of its member and eight local government chairmen over alleged anti-party and terrorism during the just concluded general election.

This followed the receipt of a letter from the office the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, alleging the lawmakers and LG chairmen of antiparty and terrorism activities, urging the Assembly to immediately suspend both the lawmakers and chairmen for various offences.

The Assembly Speaker, Matthew Kolawole, had earlier read the letter to the members for House, and the Deputy Speaker, Hon Alfa Rabiu Momoh, supported the suspension of  lawmakers, saying the state is bigger than any personal interest, and that lawmakers should not be found contravening the law.

The suspended lawmakers include Daniya Rayin of Bassa constituency;  Muktar Bajeh, Okehi constituency; Kilani Olumo, Ijumu constituency; Moses Akande, Ogori-Magongo constituency; Lawi Ahmed, Okene I constituency; Atule Igbunu, Ibaji constituency; Suleiman Attajachi Musa, Idah constituency; Aderonke Aro, Yagba West constituency, and Bello Hassan Abdullahi, Ajaokuta constituency.

The suspended chairmen with their vice chairmen include Ogori-magongo, Kabba-Bunu, and Bassa, while those with suspended chairmen are Yagba West, Adavi, Ajaokuta, and Ibaji.

The suspension of the lawmakers followed a correspondence from Governor Bello to the Speaker while that of the council chairmen and vice chairmen was based on a correspondence from the state APC, Chairman, Abdullahi Bello.

Reading both letters at plenary, the Speaker, Prince Mathew Kolawole, said the correspondence from the governor alleged that the lawmakers were involved in terrorist activities based on security report, while the correspondence from the state APC chairman alleged that the chairmen and some vice chairmen carried out anti-party activities in the just-concluded elections.

A seven-man ad-hoc committee headed by the Deputy Speaker, Rabiu,  was set up by the Assembly to investigate those on suspension. The committee Secretary is  Bayero Jiya.

In an another development, the Assembly also placed the council boss of Lokoja Local Government Are, Hon Dansabe Muhammed, on suspension based on allegation of misappropriation of funds which amounts to about N150 million.

The councilors and the vice chairman had written a letter accusing the council boss of reckless financial spending and misappropriation of funds without recourse to legal order.