• Al-Makura, lawmakers flee to Abuja
• Only God can save my husband – Gov’s wife
Activities at the Executive and Legislative arms of government in Nasarawa State have been grounded, following the impeachment notice served on Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura on Monday by the State House of Assembly.
The situation is further compounded by the absence of the governor and lawmakers in the state who have since fled to Abuja.
Since the lawmakers took serious steps by issuing impeachment notice on the governor, both Governor Al-Makura and the legislators have relocated to Abuja, avoiding public appearances.
The development has led to the Assembly Complex and the Governor’s Office being shut with stern-looking security personnel being the noticeable figures in the key government outfits.
Civil servants, who report for work at the State Secretariat since the crisis began, spent most of their time discussing the Executive-Legislature faceoff.
The only major event that took place in the state yesterday was the appearance at the Government House in Lafia of the First Lady, Salamatu Al-Makura, to receive a group of women protesting the planned impeachment of her husband.
Thereafter, the Government House, situated along Shendam Road, Lafia was deserted, leaving only a few workers, who turned up for duty.
Even some top officials in Al-Makura’s administration, who are expected to keep the machinery of government on course in the absence of the governor, have relocated with him to Abuja.
Nigerian Pilot learnt that the governor and his aides were in Abuja to meet the lawmakers on ways to amicably resolve the feud.
Security operatives kept vigil at the shut Governor’s Office when our correspondent visited the Government House, yesterday.
The Lafia Municipal Council Chairman, Suleiman Wambai, led a peaceful protest in major streets in Lafia, the state capital in the early hours of yesterday. He insisted that Governor Al-Makura remained the best governor the state had ever produced and must therefore be allowed to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.
Another group of the protesters led by Coordinator, Women for Ta’al Organisation, Hajiya Danyaro, said they were opposed to the happenings in the state, asserting that the lawmakers had derailed from the main purpose for which they were elected by their constituents.
Only God can save my husband
– Gov’s Wife
Addressing the protesters, Hajia Al-Makura appealed to the women to remain calm and expressed optimism that God would intervene in the matter.
She said: “My dear women of Nasarawa State, I urge you both Muslims and Christians to intensify prayers as only God can save the Governor.”
Mrs. Al-Makura appreciated the women for their show of solidarity, urging them to intensify prayers because only God could save her husband from the present situation.
She restated that the governor would continue to accord priority on issues that affect the womenfolk, assuring that their message of solidarity would be conveyed to the governor.
Two people were feared in the Lafia protest while one person injured when the demonstrators put at over 5,000 stormed the Government House
It was learnt that a Gwandere youth attacked a house owned by an Eggon man, which had the governorship posters of Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku on its wal and set it ablaze.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ismaila Numaan, said he was not aware of the death of the victims.
Already, the House of Assembly has served the impeachment notice via substituted service on the governor. The notice was published in two national dailies yesterday.
In the 16-count charge, the House accused the governor of corruption and abuse of office.
Reacting to the development, the state Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Hon. Wuduyamba Sam Agidi, described the mode of service of the impeachment notice as illegal.
He told Nigerian Pilot yesterday that the Assembly could only serve the notice through the media if there was a relief granted by a court of competent jurisdiction to that effect.
Agidi noted that the widespread protests against the impeachment move were enough for the lawmakers to realise that they had taken the wrong step.
Leave Jonathan out of it, Nasarawa PDP tells APC
Meanwhile, a People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chieftain, Yunana Illiya, has warned APC against dragging the name of President Goodluck Jonathan into the move by the Assembly to impeach Governor Al-Makura as the matter was purely a state legislative affair.
He described the insinuation by the APC that the Presidency and his party, the PDP is behind the impeachment plot against the Governor as laughable, unfounded and falsehood that APC as a party was known for.
Addressing newsmen in Lafia yesterday, Chief Iliya averred that it was unfortunate that people were bringing sentiments into an action the lawmakers were constitutional empowered to carry out in their quest to right the wrongs perpetrated by the state governor.
Source: Nigerian Pilot
