Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja

The Kogi State House of Assembly has suspended the Chairman of Lokoja Local Government Council, Mr Mohammed Dan Asabe.

A resolution of the State Assembly to that effect which was made available to journalists at the weekend mandated the council’s vice chairman to immediately assume the reins, pending the outcome of the investigation by the ad-hoc committee of the Assembly.

The resolution of the Kogi State House of Assembly at its session on Thursday, March 23, 2023 reads in part; “The State House of Assembly in-session at its plenary sitting of Thursday, 23rd March, 2023 considered and deliberated on the allegation of misappropriation by the Chairman, Lokoja Local Government Council and the need to direct the Chairman to handover the office to the Vice Chairman pending the outcome of the investigation by the Ad-Hoc Committee of the Kogi State House of Assembly.

“After debates, the State House of Assembly resolved and issued the following resolution:

“That the Vice Chairman is herewith directed to take-over the administrative functions immediately following the suspension of the Chairman, pending the outcome of his investigation by the Ad-Hoc Committee.”

In another development, the Lokoja LGA legislative arm has suspended the Council Leader.

In its resolution on Friday, addressed to the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Honourable Mathew Kolawole, the Council Legislative arm said the decision to suspend its Leader was “taken after extensive deliberations on the collaboration of Council Leader with the Executive Chairman Lokoja Local Government Council over misappropriation of funds.

“Based on this, the Legislative Council unanimously agreed and suspended her indefinitely, and seek for ratification by the Kogi State House of Assembly.

“We also resolved that the Deputy Leader should take over the affairs of the Legislative Council in acting capacity.”

The resolution was signed by the Deputy Leader, Mohammed Mohammed Achor, Majority Leader, Bashiru Salihu and six other members of the legislative arm.