…Recalled by State Assembly.
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
There appears to be looming crises ahead of Monday official resumption date of office of the suspended chairman of Kagarko LGA of Kaduna States, as the Speaker of LGA insisted that the impeachment of the council chairman, Hon. Rabo Nasara, remains stand and valid.
The Council Chairman, Hon. Nasara, was on Wednesday last week allegedly declared impeached on allegations of huge financial misappropriation by eight of ten councilors, led by the newly elected Speaker of the Legislative Council, Hon Danjuma Gajere Padalo.
Earlier, at a sitting 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 immediate impeachment, in absentia of the eight councilors.
The resolution of the LGA Legislative Council meeting held on 2nd of November, 2023, at the stance of Council Legislative Chambers at the LGA Secretariat, presented and considered a 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 latter on 3rd November, 2923, 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 Speaker, Danjuma Gajere Padalo, however, said the chairman’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.