By Umar Yusuf

Yola— Speaker of Adamawa State House of Assembly, Mr James Barka, and his Deputy, Alhaji Isah Ahmed Marafa were yesterday forced to resign from their positions.

Their resignation followed moves by 17 of the 25-member House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against them.

Subsequently, Mr. Natha-niel Gibson, from Guyuk Constituency, and Alhaji Alfa Belel from Maiha Constituency, were elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively.

Addressing newsmen after the change of leadership, the new Speaker Mr. Nathaniel Gibson, stated that the change will not affect or draw the House backward in their collective focus to improve the lives of the electorate.

Gibson observed that the resignation of the former Speaker became necessary in order to have a harmonious executive/legislative relationship in the state, saying it was sad for a sitting officer to quit the position when his or her term has not elapsed.

He, however, added that the exigency of legislative business demands that changes should be effected in a democratic set-up for democracy to flourish.

He declared that the House has total loyalty to the Murtala Nyako administration and the state leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, under Alhaji Umaru Mijinyawa Kugama.

Mr. Nathanial Gibson pledged that the House will not do anything that will undermine the government, but will perform its constitutional roles for the advancement of democratic norms.