No regrets over my removal, says ex-Plateau assembly speaker

Peter Azi, speaker of the Plateau state house of assembly, says no regrets over his removal.

Azi from Jos north-easy constituency, was replaced with Joshua Madaki, lawmaker representing Jos east constituency, earlier on Wednesday.

The impeachment followed a motion on a vote of no confidence moved by the lawmaker representing Barkin Ladi constituency, Peter Gyendeng.

Seventeen of the 24 lawmakers unanimously passed the motion of impeachment through a voice vote

In an interview with NAN, 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,” he said.

“To me, the removal is just a 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 the Speaker, I took the entire state as my constituency.

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

On whether it was because he was a stumbling block to the house getting at Simon Lalong, the governor, 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.”