By Wole Mosadomi

The revolving change of authority in the Niger State House of Assembly leaves some questions unanswered

ONLY in Niger, a state that styles itself as the Power State could such power play be imagined. Before now the Niger State House of Assembly had already won the dubious record of having elected a Speaker that served for only two days. That was Ndako Kpaki. His predecessor, Mohammed Alkali spent a lengthy three months.

Now, Isah Kawu who was elected Speaker only penultimate Tuesday was last Tuesday sacked from office after only seven days in office. Kawu had been elected speaker on May 15, 2012 after the immediate past speaker, Mohammed Gamunu practically fled from the speaker’s dais at the scent of an impending rebellion on May 15.

Gamunu was accused by his colleagues of having too much of a close relationship with the executive branch of government and of dereliction of duty including infrequent sitting of the legislative House.

Indeed, prior to the decisive sitting of May 15 when Gamunu was removed, the House had not sat for more than a month.
So when the House reconvened penultimate Tuesday, some members unbeknown to the former speaker secretly crafted a motion tabled under matters of urgent public importance.

The motion was initiated by the chairman House committee on information who was also one time Deputy House speaker in the House, Alh. Bashir Lokogoma.

The speaker, Alhaji Gamunu, however, frantically tried to overrule the motion which he said was not part of the orders of the day. But his efforts were in vain as the motion was successfully seconded by Shehu Fawa of the Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC).

Sensing the proceedings slipping out of his control, Gamunu sought to adjourn the House but his call for adjournment was overwhelmingly rejected by members who chorused back “No, No, we must hear the motion by Hon. Lokogoma. This is democracy and we must allow it to prevail.”

An attempt to smuggle the mace out of the chamber was also resisted by members who succeeded to form a protective cordon around the mace.

Gov Aliyu and Ex-Speaker Kawu

With tension at its peak, the speaker Gamunu walked out in annoyance creating an opportunity for his many enemies to elect Kawu to fill what they claimed was a vacuum in the office of speaker.

The election of Kawu representing Bida I constituency was accompanied by wild jubilation. With the impeachment of the speaker, other house leaders including the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Bello representing Borgu constituency, Majority leader, Mohammed Dada representing Bosso were also removed.

The election of Kawu, however, was said to have raised serious concern in the executive branch of government. Governor Babangida Aliyu and his close associates it was alleged, had never seen Kawu as a friend.

Kawu is believed to be a principled, upright and uncompromising politician who in the past had shunned “gifts” from the executive branch.

Under the administration of the immediate past governor, Engineer Abdulkadir Kure, Kawu held some political appointments including the position of General Manager of the State Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Niger). Even then he did not last long as he left on the matter of principles.

He subsequently contested and was voted into the House of Assembly on the platform of the PDP during which he stood tall among  his other colleagues by challenging what he termed as “waste of public funds” and antagonizing policies of his party he considered not in the best interest of the electorate.

It is on record that he rejected all the “gifts” including PRADO SUVs given to other members in the last political dispensation and has until now maintained his independent stance.

Following his inauguration last Thursday, Kawu had pledged to sustain the independence of the House. “No doubt, we are duty bound to be closer to the government for the progress of the state because the purpose of this change is to pave way for more dividends of democracy for the people. However, my inter-personal relationship with Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu would remain personal while my dealing with the executive would also remain official,” Kawu had pledged.

Unsurprisingly, a foreign electronic media last week alleged that some members of the House were being bribed with N10m each in a desperate move to impeach the new speaker.

Minority leader of the House, Mohammed Nurudeen of Congress for Peoples Change (CPC) representing Kontagora had in an interview with the foreign media alleged that some members had even collected the amount for the purpose of the impeachment. The Government House did not react to the allegation.

However, despite the appeals from concerned stakeholders, the House on Tuesday in a dramatic turn impeached Kawu and in his place elected a first time member of the House, Alhaji Adamu Usman. Suitably for the  comfort of  Governor Babangida, the new speaker was a very loyal member of his cabinet in his first term.