TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will take “legal action” against the impeachment of Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, Zamfara deputy governor.

On February 23, Zamfara lawmakers impeached Gusau.

The impeachment came shortly after the house received the report of a seven-member committee set up by Kulu Aliyu, chief judge of the state, to investigate allegations against the deputy governor.

Afterwards, the state house of assembly elected Muhammad Nasiha, an All Progressives Congress (APC) senator, as the new deputy governor.

Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Saturday by Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesman, the party described the action as “illegal”.

“The purported impeachment of the Deputy Governor Mahdi Aliyu Gusau by the sequestered Zamfara State House of Assembly, which has been annexed by the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle cannot stand as the entire process remain unconstitutional, illegal and as such a nullity,” the statement reads.

“It is instructive to state that by virtue of the order of the federal high court, Abuja in suit number  FHC/ABJ/CS/ 650/2021 and pursuant to section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Zamfara state house of Assembly as presently constituted has no constitutional standing to undertake any legislative action, let alone claim to have impeached the Deputy Governor of the State on any ground whatsoever.

“The import of the case is that by virtue of Section 109(1)(g), the members of Zamfara State House of Assembly constitutionally lost their seats when they recklessly cross-carpeted to the All Progressives Congress (APC) when there was no division in the PDP.”

Ologunagba, however, encouraged members of the PDP in the state to remain calm.

“The purported impeachment of the Deputy Governor as induced, orchestrated and choreographed by Governor Matawalle, the Chief Judge of Zamfara State and the Zamfara State House of Assembly is therefore not only an exercise in futility but also an affront to the Rule of Law by the APC and Governor Matawalle,” Ologunagba added.

“In any case, the PDP and the people of Zamfara State will not allow the impunity being foisted on Zamfara State to stand and appropriate legal action is being taken in that regard.

“The PDP urges the Deputy Governor, His Excellency Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, not to be deterred by the illegality but remain focused at this critical time.”