Plateau Speaker impeached at 6a.m. by 8 of 24 members

In a dramatic move, eight of the 24 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly have impeached Speaker Abok Ayuba.

The unusual sitting on Thursday morning, presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Saleh Yipmong, elected Yakubu Sanda (APC-Pengana) as the new speaker.

The eight members gained access to the House as early as 6a.m. to execute their plan.

They operated under the heavy presence of armed security personnel.

The lawmakers attempted to impeach the speaker on Wednesday night, but could not succeed and returned on Thursday morning.

Mr. Nanbol Daniel (PDP-Langtang North Central) had said that the impeachment would not hold because it did not follow the House Rules on impeachment of speaker and deputy speaker.

The speaker and the Assembly are yet to react to the development.

The group of eight lawmakers said they would present the newly elected speaker (Yakubu Sanda) to Governor Simon Lalong this morning at the Government House in Jos.

Meanwhile, Prof. Danladi Atu, Secretary to the Government of Plateau State, has congratulated the new Speaker, Yakubu Sanda, on his election.

Atu congratulated Sanda when some lawmakers, led by the Deputy Speaker Saleh Yipmong, presented the new speaker to him as representative of Governor Simon Lalong.

Atu commended the new speaker for accepting the challenge to lead the legislative arm of government.

“Mr. Speaker, on behalf of government and people of Plateau, we formally congratulate you for accepting the leadership of Plateau State House of Assembly.

“As a government of the day, our position has been that the legislature is autonomous.

“Whatever happens in the house is the business of the house, the Executive arm is a mere collaborator,” Atu said.

He said that the Executive arm’s hands were open to work with the legislature for the good of Plateau to promote the ideals that the government is known for.

He urged the speaker to partner with all the arms of government so that all the arms would work as one as a government for the benefit of the people of the state.

In his remarks, Sanda said that he has accepted the challenge thrown at him by his colleagues to lead the Legislative arm or government.

The speaker said he would synergise with the Executive and the Judiciary to give good governance to the people of Plateau.

“That should be our cardinal point because that is why we are leaders for the people to benefit.

“I want to assure Your Excellency of our total support and collaboration for the good of Plateau,” Sanda said.

Mr. Daniel Nanlong, Majority Leader of the House, noted that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were all present in the House when the leadership was changed.

Nanlong said that it was the culture and tradition of the House that when a new leadership emerges, it comes to the seat of power, to the governor, to officially introduce the person.

The majority leader told Prof. Atu that the former speaker was impeached because of gross incompetence and financial mismanagement.

He said that the members followed all laid-down procedures to change its leadership.

“The Constitution made it clear that there should be two-third majority that can remove the speaker and 16 members representing two-third signed for the removal of the speaker.

“And we duly submitted the list to the Clerk of the House of Assembly for confirmation and it is when the Clerk confirms that it authorises change of power.

“That was properly done before the new speaker was sworn in in the chamber of the assembly.

“Of course there was little drama but that is the tradition of legislators,” he added.