DSS arrests Zamfara speaker, his deputy, 2 other lawmakers over plot to impeach Governor Yari
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lawmakers have reportedly fled to Kaduna following the arrest of the speaker
of Zamfara State House of Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Garba Rikiji, his
deputy, Muhammad Abubakar Gumi, the majority leader, Isah Abdulmumini and the
chief whip, Abdullahi Dansadau by operatives of the Department of State Service
(DSS) over their alleged plan to impeach Governor Abdulaziz Yari.
According
to Daily Trust, the fleeing members of the Assembly issued a
statement, last night, calling on President Buhari to intervene in what they
term abuse of office by Governor Yari.
Governor Yari is being
accused of misappropriating financial allocation to the state, and
failing to implement the budget in the last five years. The statement,
which was signed by the House Committee Chairman on Information, Mannir Aliyu
Gidan Jaja, also accused the governor of corrupt usage of local government
funds for state purposes.
Other charges
levelled against the governor include "Inadequate explanation of N1
billion commercial agriculture (CBN) loan, non-remittance of pension funds to
pension administrators, non-remittance of 5 percent emirate councils
funds, the gross misappropriation of bailout funds to the state by the federal
government to settle workers’ salaries, including N10b for 2014 and N1.46b in
2016."
The lawmakers also
accused Yari of crippling governance in the state through his constant
travelling abroad and instead of addressing the issues, he "resorted to
political intimidation, arrest and detention of principal officers of the House
and other supporting staff."
Zamfara State Police
Commissioner, Mr Istifanus Shattima, disclosed that he has deployed additional
operatives to stop mobs from disrupting normal activities at the House of
Assembly.
Shattima told Daily
Trust that deployment of troops to the Assembly was in response to the action
of a mob which attacked the private residence of the speaker.
The speaker’s residence
was attacked by mobs after rumours circulated in the state and the social
media, that the lawmakers were planning to impeach Governor Yari.
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