Plot to Impeach Kogi Speaker Thickens as Members Collect Signatures

The plot to impeach the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mathew Kolawole, thickens as some lawmakers are aggrieved over his alleged self-serving and lackadaisical attitude towards the welfare of members.

Punch Newspaper reports  that the members are angry over the alleged domineering attitude of the Speaker and his romance with the Executive, thus exposing them (other lawmakers) to executive manipulations.

The lawmakers last week embarked on a strike to protest the non-payment of their salaries, constituency allowance and other allowances for several months.

The Speaker was said to be only interested in his personal gains against the collective benefits of the entire members of the Assembly.

It was learnt that the members were angered over the sycophantic role of the Speaker when representing them before the executive.

A Legislator representing one of the constituencies in the eastern part of the state told our correspondent that the Speaker had on many occasions turned himself to the executive stooge, for his personal gains.

The legislator who didn’t want his name in print said that 18 members of the Assembly have been meeting to ensure the removal of the speaker, and return the integrity of the House which was long lost as a result of the bad leadership of the Speaker.

It was reliably gathered that the 18 members have already appended their signatures to that effect.

He said, “We have been going through a lot, is it our allowances that have not been paid, or is it the constituency allowance that the executive refused to release to us.

“The speaker who is supposed to serve as the mediator between us and the governor and also ensure that our entitlements are paid to us, would rather go to the governor and make case for himself and jettison our collective needs.”

However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Femi Olugbemi, denied that the Speaker had sold out to the Executive.

He said that the Speaker had always ensured that members get their entitlements as and when due which had earned him accolades from members.

Meanwhile, the Director General, Media, and Publicity to the Governor, Kingsley Fanwo, has announced the appointment of the Speaker, Mathew Kolawole, as the Acting Governor following the Governor’s trip to Poland with President Muhammadu Buhari.