•Accuses Gov of siphoning state funds

•PDP denies involvement

Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Musa Ahmed, on Monday directed the Clerk of the Assembly to serve Governor Tanko Al-Makura with notice of impeachment for alleged acts of gross misconduct.

This followed a motion of public interest raised by Deputy Majority Leader of the Assembly, Yahaya Usman (PDP-Umaisha/Ugya), during plenary in Lafia, the state capital.

The lawmaker presented a document containing allegations of gross misconduct against the Governor, which, he said, was signed by 20 of the 24 members of the Assembly.

“I am on my feet to raise a motion under the matter of public interest and I will go direct to read the document I have in my hand; this is a notice of impeachment of Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State for gross misconduct,” Usman said.

He added: “And for the violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, today being the 14th July, 2014, the 20 members of the 24 members of this House unanimously endorsed to serve Governor Tanko Al-Makura notice of impeachment”.

Chief Whip of the Assembly, Mohammed Okpede (PDP-Doma North), seconded the motion to serve the Governor impeachment notice.

Musa Ahmed (PDP-Nasarawa Central) who doubles as Speaker of the Assembly, officially received the impeachment notice and noted that Assembly had complied with the provision of the Constitution on matter concerned with impeachment notice.

The Speaker subsequently directed the Clerk to serve the impeachment notice on Al-Makura immediately.

“While in the event that the Governor could not be reached for service, the Clerk is directed to serve him with the impeachment notice through the media,” the Speaker said.

Chairman, House Committee on Information and Security, Baba Ibaku, while speaking to our correspondent alleged that the Governor has siphoned so much state funds to be allowed to continue as chief security officer of the state.

Ibaku, who represents Loko/Udege, claimed that Al-Makura has spent over N2 billion from the local government joint account without recourse to due process.

 According to the lawmaker, the Governor has equally breached public trust in the manner he used one Usman Saraki to swindle the state of over N800 million as a consultant to SUBEB, while insisting that over N700 million is also missing from the SURE-P accounts.

He further alleged that the Governor has sacked over 10,000 workers from the state payroll without following due process, even though the Assembly had advised him against doing so in the interest of the people.

“The Governor has gone beyond his constitutional boundaries and must face the law like every other Nigerian  because he is not sacrosanct to the constitution of our land,” Ibaku declared.

Reacting to the impeachment notice, state Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Philip Shekwo, said they would respond at appropriate time.

Also reacting, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Yunna Iliya, denied having anything to do with the impeachment notice severed on the Governor.

Iliya spoke in a chat with CEOAFRICA shortly after President Goodluck Jonathan commissioned Olam Rice Farms and processing plant at Rukubi, Doma Local Government area of the state.