TheCable

The senate has directed Solomon Arase, inspector general of police, to seal off the Kogi state house of assembly pending the time the crisis rocking the legislative house is resolved.

Senate President Bukola Saraki gave the directive at plenary on Thursday, declaring the impeachment of Momoh Jimoh, speaker of the assembly as illegal.

On February 16, five out of the 25 lawmakers impeached Jimoh for allegedly refusing to carry his colleagues along in the affairs of the assembly.

They also removed Aliyu Akuh, deputy speaker, and Kolawole Matthew, majority leader, and elected new leaders.

Jimoh and his supporters sought the intervention of the house of representatives, accusing the executive arm of government in the state of being behind the crisis.

Consequently, the lower chamber of the national assembly waded into the crisis by sending a 10-man delegation to the state.

The delegation visited the state and met with Yahya Bello, governor of the state, and some stakeholders.

At the end of its findings, the house of representatives recommended that the national assembly should take over the functions of the Kogi assembly, and the recommendation was approved.

Ali Ndume, majority leader of the senate, had urged his colleagues to concur with the resolution of the house of representatives, making the senate to “invoke the powers conferred on it by section 11(4) of the 1999 constitution” to take over the legislative functions of Kogi assembly.