Niger Deputy Speaker petitions House, seeks removal of LG boss

Four committees of the state legislature to jointly investigate allegations.

The Deputy Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulrahman Gambo, on Thursday shocked his colleagues when he sponsored a petition during the House plenary session, demanding the sack of Mohammed Saidu, Chairman of Borgu Local Government Area.

The petition was presented to the House, on behalf of Mr. Gambo, by its Majority Leader, Haruna Labaran, via a motion, as it was rounding off the business of the day.

Mr. Labaran merely laid the petition on the table without disclosing the offences committed by the embattled council chairman.

The Speaker, Adamu Usman, then directed the House Committees on Public Petition, Ethics and Privileges, Local Government and Finance to jointly investigate the contents of the petition and report back in two weeks.

Mr. Gambo, who represents Borgu Constituency in the legislature, hurried out of the chamber after the session and could not be reached to comment on his action as repeated calls to his mobile telephone indicated it was switched off.

Mr. Labaran, who moved the motion, assured journalists after the session that details of the petition and the offences of the chairman would be made public.

“All I can say is that the Deputy Speaker who is from the local government sponsored the petition and that the allegations are in the body of the petition. I want to assure the public that everyone will be given fair hearing. That is why no action has been taken yet.”