Taraba Assembly Impeaches Speaker, Deputy, Majority Leader
The Taraba State House of Assembly yesterday in Jalingo impeached the speaker of the State Assembly, Istifanus Haruna Gbana, his deputy Peter Abel Diah and other principal officers of the House over alleged acts of “gross misconduct” and financial mismanagement.
The impeachment motion was moved by Joseph Albasu Kunini (Lau Constituency) and seconded by Dr Abubakar Adullahi Jugulde (Gembu Constituency).
The motion, which was signed by 17 out of the 24 members of the House, stated: “In December 2012, His Excellency, the Acting Governor, approved and paid the total sum of N12, 000,000 as allowance to Honourable members out of which only the sum of N110, 000 each was given Honourable members amounting to the tune of N2, 640,000 while the remaining huge sum of N9, 360,000 was illegally retained by you Rt. Honourable Speaker and Principal Officers.”
According to the members, the speaker had, since assumption of office, neglected and failed to play his role in calling Financial and General Purpose Meeting for appropriate accountability through the presentation of the statement of affairs of the House.
The speaker was alleged to have shown lack of dexterity and capacity in discharging the duties of his office which has created disaffection, disharmony and favouritism in the running of the House in contravention of the oath of office he took.
“That your act of divide and rule among the members has caused poor productivity of the legislative expectation. That you employed the use of first among equals to demean your fellow Honourable members and thereby relegated them to nothing in the conduct of the affairs of the House,” the motion said.
The House further moved that, right from the inception of the 7th Assembly, the leadership of the House steered by the speaker failed to conduct legislative council meetings except for three times which were done under pressure by fellow members, thereby stifling legislative dealings and competence of the House.
After the presentation of the motion before the House, the speaker pro-tempo, John Kizito Bonzona, called for confirmation of the signatories to the motion, which were affirmed by the members, and he subsequently declared the positions of the speaker, deputy speaker and all the other principal House offices vacant.
The House subsequently confirmed the nomination of Haruna Tsokwa (Takum1 constituency) as the new speaker of the Assembly and Adamu Tanko Maikarfi as the deputy.
It was gathered that the impeached speaker, deputy speaker and some of his principal officers were absent during the House sitting yesterday.
When contacted, the former deputy speaker, Abel Peter Diah, said since the decision was taken by the majority members of the House, he had no objection to it.
The Assembly has adjourned its sitting sine-die.
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