Kogi assembly crisis: Reps summon Bello, Buratai

The house of representatives has summoned Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, and Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, over the deployment of armed military men to the state assembly.

The summons followed a motion under matters of urgent public importance moved by Chukwuemeka Ujam (Enugu-PDP), which was unanimously adopted.

Presenting the motion, Ujam said on May 31, masked armed men invaded the premises of the state assembly, shot into the air in an attempt to intimidate members from carrying out their legislative functions.

He alleged that the armed military men were in company of the security details and escort of the governor.

The lawmaker alleged that the governor “in defiance of the resolution of the national assembly” continued to patronise a group of five assembly members.

He said the governor had forwarded the list of commissioners, special advisers’ nominees and the appropriation bill to the five lawmakers for approval.

Ujam expressed concern that the crisis rocking the assembly may result into anarchy and breach of security as well as threat to lives and property.

Contributing to the motion, leader of the house, Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos-APC) urged the house to seek judicial interpretation to the situation.

He said the development was a clear violation of the resolution of the house.

“It is time for the house to seek judicial interpretation of the constitution as regards the matter,” he said.

“The governor has no right to deploy the military to the state assembly, so the question arises as to who deployed the military.

“If we allow any governor to get away with this, then the house can never invoke the section of the constitution which empowers it to summon people when the need arises.

“We should investigate who gave him the power to deploy military personnel to Kogi state assembly.”