The Speaker of of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Momoh-Jimoh Lawal, was on Thursday impeached by members.
The Deputy Speaker, Aliyu Akuh (PDP Omala), and Minority Leader of the House, Hassan Bello (APC-Ajaokuta), were also removed.
Lawal was immediately replaced with Godwin Osiyi (APC-Ogori-Magongo).
Briefing newsmen in Lokoja on the development, a member of the House, John Abah (PDP-Ibaji), said 17 members out of 25 signed the paper supporting the removal of Lawal (PDP-Okene II).
Abah stated that the former speaker, his deputy and the minority leader were removed for incompetence, greed, betrayal of trust, inadequate representation and lack of care for welfare of members.
Motion for the impeachment of the former speaker and the other two principal officers was moved by Ukubile Ochijenu-Acharu (PDP-Idah).
It was seconded by Zakari Mohammed (APC-Kogi Koton-Karfe)
Taking over, the new speaker, Osiyi, said the 25 members of the House were potential speakers as nobody was elected as speaker, recalling that Lawal became speaker after Abdullahi Bello was impeached.
“This gentleman that was removed did not come in as speaker. If I, Godwin Osiyi, misbehave tomorrow, I should be impeached.
“As long as we continue to have incompetent leaders, we will continue to effect changes. We have to do away with incompetence.
“If it is not well with the legislature, it will not be well with the state.”
Osiyi apologised for the attack on NTA news crew earlier at the assembly complex by hoodlums.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the impeachment move by members had earlier resulted in a fracas, which led to the hijack of the mace by hoodlums who invaded the chamber.
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