Kogi Assembly suspends lawmaker for challenging ‘illegality’

The crisis in the Kogi State House of Assembly took another twist yesterday following a six months suspension of member representing IgalamelaOdolu Constituency, Friday Sani Makama.

The suspension followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Ajaokuta Constituency, Hassan Abdullahi Bello, and seconded by Ahmed Mohammed. Daily Trust reports that the unfolding crisis in the Assembly followed the recent leadership changes and creation of additional principal officers in the aftermath of the defection of some PDP lawmakers to the APC. The creation of additional principal officers was challenged by Sani Makama.

His suspension came just as the speaker of the Assembly, Umar Imam received a letter of summon by Counsels to the embattled lawmaker, Atalanta Partners Attorney at Law, asking the Assembly to maintain the status quo until the determination of the substantive suit.

Sani Makama had filed a suit before the Kogi State High Court in Idah, seeking for a restraining order against two lawmakers-Minority Leader Godwin Osuyi (PDP, Ogori-Magongo) and the Deputy Minority Whip, Dr. Friday Alih (PDP, Ofu) from parading themselves as principal officers of the sixth assembly.

In the suit filed on March 27 against the Kogi State House of Assembly, Speaker Imam Ahmed, Godwin Osuyi, Governor Yahaya Bello, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Kogi State, Accountant -General of Kogi State and Kogi State government, Sani Makama through P.U Ogbadu Esq, noted that “illegality and impunity cannot be a cornerstone in the administration of government.”

The lawmaker in his prayers said the 1st and 4th defendants have no powers to unilaterally create additional principal offices/positions or any office/position at all in the 1st defendant’s Assembly when there is no provision in any law or the rules of the 1st defendant enabling the action.

Sani Makama cited pages 5 and 6 of the Kogi State House of Assembly Standing Rules on the election of House principal officers, which states that: “for avoidance of misinterpretation, the principal officers referred to in rule 6 (1) above include speaker, deputy speaker, majority leader, minority leader, chief whip, deputy majority leader, deputy chief whip and minority whip.

This, he observed, is contrary to the composition of the House at present, following the creation of the office of deputy minority whip occupied by Friday Alih.

Earlier, Hassan Abdullahi Bello had drawn the attention of the House to what he called “anti-legislative activities” by Sani Makama by abusing House Rule 10 and therefore called for his suspension.

In their contributions, members of the Assembly said Sani Makama had always acted against the will of the house and therefore supported his suspension.