AMAC legislative council impeaches speaker, elects new presiding officer

The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) legislature has impeached Matthew Yare as speaker.

Yare, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, represents Nyanya ward in the municipal area council.

Jankaro Ibrahim, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and councillor representing Kabusa ward, was elected to replace Yare.

Ibrahim assumed office on Monday following a motion introduced by Mathias Aliu, the councillor representing Wuse ward, during a brief council session.

The Kabusa councillor was elected after Tony Onoja, the deputy speaker, put the motion to a voice vote, with the “ayes” in the majority.

Speaking with reporters after proceedings, Ibrahim said Yare was voted out because APC members are now the majority in the council’s parliament.

“We are eight APC councillors, and the PDP members are only four. It is only normal for us to lead,” the speaker said.

The impeachment of Yare comes months after Christopher Maikalangu, chairman of AMAC, defected from the PDP to the APC.

Maikalangu had said he joined the APC to sustain the delivery of democratic dividends to residents of AMAC, which is the central area council in the nation’s capital.