12 members of the Kogi State House of Assembly yesterday sat in Lokoja, the state capital, where they suspended two of their colleagues for defecting from All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
The sitting came barely 24 hours after members of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee visited the state to mediate in the crisis which trailed the removal of the former Speaker, Hon. Abdullahi Bello.
The sitting which began at about 12.20 p.m. saw the new Speaker, Hon.
Momoh Jimoh Lawal saying the opening prayers.
Security was tight around the venue as hundreds of supporters struggled to catch a glimpse of the new Speaker.
A member of the Assembly Hon. Paul Gowon urged the Assembly to write a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, protesting the sealing up of the Assembly complex by the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina.
The Speaker thereafter read out a letter from state chairman of ANPP urging the Assembly to void the defection of Henry Ojuola and Foluso Daniel on the grounds that the party wasn’t factionalised.
However, several members, including Hon. Daudu Gabriel and Friday Sani accused the former leadership of sweeping the matter under the carpet.
The lawmakers were unanimous that the defectors violated the Electoral Act, but begged that their seats shouldn’t be declared vacant.
Members such as Paul Gowon Haruna aligned with the prayers of ANPP, saying the Assembly owed the duty to call the defectors to order.
“As honourable members, we ought to behave honourably. We have to take action as a proactive house; an obligation to call them to order pending the submission of the report of the committee- if they show remorse, or their party reconsider them, so be it,” he declared.
The Speaker thereafter appointed a 3-man committee to investigate the ANPP allegation. The committee, which is headed by Hon. Shehu, has Daudu Gabriel and Habibat Mohammed Deen as members, and has two weeks to turn in its report. Hon. Solomon Yakubu is to serve as secretary.
The Assembly adjourned at about 1.10p.m., to reconvene on Tuesday 30th October.