Former acting national chairman of PDP, Chief Uche Secondus
By Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja
Peace seems to have eluded members of Kogi State House of Assembly over the choice of a new speaker to replace the incumbent Speaker, Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal.
Sources close to the assembly disclosed to SATURDAY THISDAY that the National Secretariat of the People' s Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday summoned its members in the state House of Assembly to Abuja for an emergency meeting.
We reliably gathered that members of the national working committee including state committee of the party were in attendance.
The meeting was said to have been chaired by the acting national chairman of the party, Chief Uche Secondus, where he told PDP state assembly members that the status quo should remain pending when the court cases were resolved.
According to him, since PDP was majority in the state House of Assembly with 14 members, he saw no reason why they should allow APC with seven members to resume leadership of the House.
He therefore directed the Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal should remain Speaker of the House, Hounourable Ali Aku Deputy Speaker, Honourable Kolawole Olusola majority leader and Honourable Friday Makama Chief whip of the House.
It was alleged that Jimoh-Lawal, held a meeting with the Governor over his replacement with one of the seven (7) Assembly's members of All Progressives Congress last Monday.
A source alleged that the Governor Yahaya Bello, gave the speaker N50 million and N7.5 million each to other PDP members to support Hon Ahmed Imam Umar of Lokoja 1 constituency from Kogi West against another Kogi West PDP member, Honourable Kolawole Olushola from Kabba/Bunu constituency for the position of speakership ahead of the declaration of the Deputy Governor which is zoned to Kogi East.
When contacted, the speaker denied collecting money from the governor for himself or for his members, stressing that his decision was to support and prepare ahead of the announcement of a new Deputy governor and to allow others to contribute their quota to the development of the state.
Also reacting on the bribe allegation, Governor Bello said he was not interfering in the affairs of the Kogi State House of Assembly.
In a press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Fanwo Kingsley Olorunfemi which copy was made available to our correspondent stated that the attention of the Governor had been drawn to spurious reports in the press and some online media to the effect that he was meddling in the leadership affairs of the State House of Assembly with some of the reports stepping up the misinformation with allegations of financial inducements.
"As a responsible Governor who understands the tenets of separation of powers, Alh. Yahaya Bello understands his role as Executive Governor does not include managing the internal affairs of the House of Assembly
" Governor Bello wants to place on record, his readiness to collaborate effectively with the House of Assembly to achieve good governance in an atmosphere devoid of usurpation of authority. The governor will continue to relate with the House of Assembly as an independent body" he added.
The Governor therefore disclosed that the meeting he had with some members of the House of Assembly was aimed at familiarising himself with the leadership of the House, and not an attempt at controlling the House as the Assembly has internal operational mechanism.
He noted that as a government that understood the economic temperatures of the state, his administration promised to manage the commonwealth of the state in a responsible, responsive and transparent manner.
"Governor Yahaya Bello did not give any financial inducement to anyone with intent to influencing the decisions of House members on the choice of leadership or any other matter whatsoever" he mentioned.
“The Governor therefore urged Kogites to discountenance rumour mongers who are out to distract him from delivering democracy dividends to the people as he assured the people of Kogi State of running a government where transparency and probity are the hallmarks”.
It would be recalled that the state assembly could not sit last Wednesday as a result of the crisis.
Jimoh Lawal from Kogi Central Senatorial District of the state is expected to relinquish his position as the speaker of the House since the Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello is from the same senatorial district with the speaker.
It was gathered that while the immediate past Governor, Captain Idris Wada was supporting Honourable Friday Sani, Chief Whip of the PDP for the position, the former Governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris is said to be supporting the deputy speaker, Honourable Ali Aku also of PDP.
The immediate past Governor, Captain Idris Wada's support for Friday Sani may not be unconnected to his loyalty to the governor when he was in government, while Alhaji Ibrahim Idris's support for Ali Aku was borne out of the fact that Aku is his kinsman who happen to be his Personal Assistant when he was the governor of the state.
The House is expected to resume seating next week Wednesday.
Sources close to the assembly disclosed to SATURDAY THISDAY that the National Secretariat of the People' s Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday summoned its members in the state House of Assembly to Abuja for an emergency meeting.
We reliably gathered that members of the national working committee including state committee of the party were in attendance.
The meeting was said to have been chaired by the acting national chairman of the party, Chief Uche Secondus, where he told PDP state assembly members that the status quo should remain pending when the court cases were resolved.
According to him, since PDP was majority in the state House of Assembly with 14 members, he saw no reason why they should allow APC with seven members to resume leadership of the House.
He therefore directed the Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal should remain Speaker of the House, Hounourable Ali Aku Deputy Speaker, Honourable Kolawole Olusola majority leader and Honourable Friday Makama Chief whip of the House.
It was alleged that Jimoh-Lawal, held a meeting with the Governor over his replacement with one of the seven (7) Assembly's members of All Progressives Congress last Monday.
A source alleged that the Governor Yahaya Bello, gave the speaker N50 million and N7.5 million each to other PDP members to support Hon Ahmed Imam Umar of Lokoja 1 constituency from Kogi West against another Kogi West PDP member, Honourable Kolawole Olushola from Kabba/Bunu constituency for the position of speakership ahead of the declaration of the Deputy Governor which is zoned to Kogi East.
When contacted, the speaker denied collecting money from the governor for himself or for his members, stressing that his decision was to support and prepare ahead of the announcement of a new Deputy governor and to allow others to contribute their quota to the development of the state.
Also reacting on the bribe allegation, Governor Bello said he was not interfering in the affairs of the Kogi State House of Assembly.
In a press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Fanwo Kingsley Olorunfemi which copy was made available to our correspondent stated that the attention of the Governor had been drawn to spurious reports in the press and some online media to the effect that he was meddling in the leadership affairs of the State House of Assembly with some of the reports stepping up the misinformation with allegations of financial inducements.
"As a responsible Governor who understands the tenets of separation of powers, Alh. Yahaya Bello understands his role as Executive Governor does not include managing the internal affairs of the House of Assembly
" Governor Bello wants to place on record, his readiness to collaborate effectively with the House of Assembly to achieve good governance in an atmosphere devoid of usurpation of authority. The governor will continue to relate with the House of Assembly as an independent body" he added.
The Governor therefore disclosed that the meeting he had with some members of the House of Assembly was aimed at familiarising himself with the leadership of the House, and not an attempt at controlling the House as the Assembly has internal operational mechanism.
He noted that as a government that understood the economic temperatures of the state, his administration promised to manage the commonwealth of the state in a responsible, responsive and transparent manner.
"Governor Yahaya Bello did not give any financial inducement to anyone with intent to influencing the decisions of House members on the choice of leadership or any other matter whatsoever" he mentioned.
“The Governor therefore urged Kogites to discountenance rumour mongers who are out to distract him from delivering democracy dividends to the people as he assured the people of Kogi State of running a government where transparency and probity are the hallmarks”.
It would be recalled that the state assembly could not sit last Wednesday as a result of the crisis.
Jimoh Lawal from Kogi Central Senatorial District of the state is expected to relinquish his position as the speaker of the House since the Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello is from the same senatorial district with the speaker.
It was gathered that while the immediate past Governor, Captain Idris Wada was supporting Honourable Friday Sani, Chief Whip of the PDP for the position, the former Governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris is said to be supporting the deputy speaker, Honourable Ali Aku also of PDP.
The immediate past Governor, Captain Idris Wada's support for Friday Sani may not be unconnected to his loyalty to the governor when he was in government, while Alhaji Ibrahim Idris's support for Ali Aku was borne out of the fact that Aku is his kinsman who happen to be his Personal Assistant when he was the governor of the state.
The House is expected to resume seating next week Wednesday.
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