I’ve no regret over my impeachment – Ex-Plateau Speaker

Impeached Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, Peter Azi said on Wednesday that he had no regrets over his removal.

Mr Azi, representing Jos North-East Constituency in the House, was unanimously removed by his colleagues in a dramatic sitting on Wednesday.

He was promptly replaced with Joshua Madaki from Jos East Constituency as the new Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Azi described his removal as “part of legislative dynamism’’ that shapes democracy.

“As we speak, I don’t have any regrets over my removal as Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly.

“To me, the removal is just part of the legislative dynamism, which I should gladly accept as it helps in shaping our democracy.

“In fact, I now feel relieved because now I have time to parley with people in my own constituency because then as speaker, I took the entire state as my constituency.

“I am happy that my colleagues did not pin-point my area of fault in my leadership, but only claimed they just needed a change of leadership,” he said.

On whether it was because he was a stumbling block to the House getting at Governor Simon Lalong, Mr Azi said, “well, if that was the problem, they didn’t say so.

“It is the same people that elected Lalong as governor, who also elected members to the House, and so I see no reason why they may want to get at him.

“I don’t think anyone would want to plunge the state into any crisis; we are all trying to support the democratic system for due process to thrive for the sake of the peace of the state.

“If they have anything against the governor, why won’t they seek amicable means of relaying it to him, than go after him?

“All we want is peace on the Plateau not rancour,’’ Mr Azi said.

(NAN)