Kogi State House of Assembly has distanced themselves on the signatures collected to impeach the Speaker Rt Hon. Mathew Kolawole.
The Lawmakers who made this known on Tuesday during the house plenary said they collected signatures to pass a vote of confidence on Governor Yahaya Bello Presidential ambition and not to impeach the Speaker.
The position of the lawmakers is coming few days after the suspended former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed representing (Ankpa I) and two other former principal officers, Hon. Bello Hassan Adullahi, (Ajaokuta), and Edoko Moses Ododo, (Dekina/Biraidu) told journalists that Prince Mathew Kolawole has been impeached as Speaker Kogi State House of Assembly over alleged financial impropriety, high-handedness, serial abuse of office, refusal to abide by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended
Lawmakers who took turns to speak during the house sitting presided by Prince Mathew Kolawole recalled that on 13th May 2022, members unanimously agreed to support Governor Yahaya Bello Presidential ambition and not to impeached the speaker.
Reacting to the lawmakers comments, the Speaker, Prince Mathew Kolawole said the suspended lawmakers have violated the house rule and will be investigated by the committee on ethics and privileges.
“The Chairman of this committee should write to this suspended lawmakers. It is a grievous offence. A member that is expected to be honourable is now acting dishonourable. I call this forgery, because a document that is meant for something is being used for another thing.
“At this junction, the three former principal officer Hon. Ahmed Mohammed, Bello Hassan Balogun, and Ododo Moses remain suspended till further notice pending the outcome of the investigation” he added
The Kogi State Government through the office of the Head of Service has asked the three suspended Kogi Lawmakers to vacate their residence.
Recall that the three lawmakers, Hon. Ahmed Ahmed, Hon. Abdullahi Bello and Hon. Moses Ododo were having accommodation in the Commissioners quarters.
But following the request by some Commissioners to make use of their residence, the office of the Head of Service issued them quit notice. This is however coinciding with when the embattled lawmakers are facing challenge.
Reacting to the quit notice, the Speaker, Mathew Kolawole, said he has received letters from Kogi Head of Service since last year notifying the members of the need to vacate the Commissioners quarters.
He said the action to vacate the house was done by the Head of Service, pointing out that the Assembly has no hands in it. He said the three suspended lawmakers have their accommodation at the House of Assembly quarters provided for lawmakers.
