Nasarawa lawmakers in fresh plot to sack Al-Makura, swear in Deputy Governor Posted by: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation There seems to be no respite yet for Governor of Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State who recently escaped a bid to impeach him by some members of the House of Assembly. The anti-alMakura legislators have launched a fresh plot to impeach him and inaugurate Deputy Governor Damishi Barau Luka as his replacement. The lawmakers ,it was gathered,are in the process of reaching out to a vacation Judge in the state for the purpose of raising a new panel to probe their 16 allegations against the governor. But their move is without the support of the Presidency or the National Secretariat of the PDP. Sources in the State judiciary see no sense in the lawmakers’ latest approach,saying a Vacation Judge cannot assume the powers of the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State. The Nation gathered that the latest plot is to sack Al-Makura not later than next Friday. Investigation showed that at a kangaroo session on Tuesday, the lawmakers decided to take advantage of the ongoing vacation by the court and the absence of the Chief Judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko ,to create a constitutional crisis in the state. A reliable source familiar with the development said the lawmakers resolved to hold a midnight session at the Assembly in Lafia early next week. They intend to seek the protection of security agencies and some militia in executing their plot. It was learnt that the confidence of the lawmakers was buoyed by the last week rally of the State Chapter of the PDP where a senior government official boasted that if anti-Al-Makura forces wanted to overrun Lafia, they would do so without resistance. The source said: “The forces against Al-Makura are persuading the Assembly to go ahead having rejected the seven-man investigative panel inaugurated by the Chief Judge. “They want to pressurize the Vacation Judge to raise a new panel and within three days, Al- Makura will be removed. In fact, a draft speech of the inauguration address of the new governor is ready. The lawmakers and their backers have also drawn a list of new appointments to be made by the Deputy Governor when he takes over. “The last week rally of the PDP was allegedly used as a signal of the next battle to be waged against the governor. “The intelligence report of their plot is however being sent to appropriate authorities.” Another source in Al-Makura’s camp, who confirmed the plot, said: “We do not know why these lawmakers have become desperate to throw the state into chaos. “Information at our disposal indicated that each lawmaker has been promised $180,000 in addition to other perks if the governor is removed. “They want to use a judge who allegedly has sympathy for the PDP in the state. The same judge had three times delivered judgment against Nasarawa State Government. “As I talk to you, there is a petition against the judge before the National Judicial Council (NJC) for alleged abuse of office.” Responding to a question, the source added: “Our position is that there is no way a Vacation Judge can assume the role of the Chief Judge of the state.” The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku had last week led a PDP rally against the governor in Lafia. At the rally, Maku said although the Federal Government had no hand in the impeachment plot against Al-Makura, the lawmakers should do their work according to constitution he said.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 07:44:40 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015