From Emmanuel Adeyemi Lokoja
Kogi House of Assembly, yesterday, suspended nine of its 25 members for gross misconduct, terrorism, electoral violence and anti-party activities during recently concluded general election in the state.
The decision to suspend the lawmakers and council chairmen was reached during plenary following adoption of letters from Governor Yahaya Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Bello Abdullahi.
Bello, in his letter to the Assembly, had urged the Speaker, Matthew Kolawole, to investigate the culpability of the members in the alleged offences.
The suspended members include Kilani Olushola, Ijumu; Suleiman Musa, Idah; Bello Hassan, Ajaokuta; A.T. Ahmed, Okene I; Moses Akande, Ogori-Magongo; Aderonke Aro, Yagba-West; Daniyan Raiyi, Bassa; Muktar Bajeh, Okehi and Atule Egbunu, Ibaji.
A letter from APC state secretariat to the Assembly signed by Abdullahi also intimated the House that the legislators and the chairmen had been suspended by their ward executive councils of the party.
It said: “The under-listed individuals have been suspended by their APC wards executives with immediate effect for gross misconduct, insubordination and anti-party activities in the just concluded general elections.”
The party chairman urged the House to effect the suspension in the chamber to serve as deterrent to others in subsequent elections.
The House also suspended four council chairmen and placed three others on investigation based on the letters from the governor and state party chairman alleging their culpability.
Moving the motion for adoption, Deputy Speaker, Momoh Rabiu, said by the virtue of the positions of the legislators and council chairmen, it was regrettable for them to break the law of the land.
“Lawmakers should not be seen as lawbreakers. The state is above all of us. Let the law take its cause. They should be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation into their alleged offences,” he said.
The council chairmen involved are Ogori-Magongo, Goke Oparirison and his vice chairman; Kabba-Bunu, Moses Olurunleke and his vice chairman; Bassa-Muktar Mohammed and his vice chairman; Yagba-West, Pius Kolawole; Ajaokuta, Mustapha Akaaba; Adavi-Joseph Omuya; Ibaji, Williams Iko’ojo
The motion was adopted by Collins Musa who, along with others aligned with position of the deputy speaker that the legislators be suspended.
Speaker Matthew Kolawole said the nine lawmakers and four council chairmen remain suspended pending the outcome of investigations into the allegations.
He, however, said decision on Bassa, Ogori and Yagba-West would be put in abeyance pending the outcome of the House committee investigating the allegations against them.