TheCable

Legislators in the house of representatives on Wednesday kicked against a bill seeking to empower the national assembly to remove governors and deputy governors from office “in appropriate circumstances”.

The bill is seeking to delete the proviso of section 11 (4) of the constitution which already specified that the national assembly could take over state house of assemblies in times of crisis.

The sponsors of the bill are Edward Pwajock from Plateau and Ali Isa from Gombe.

Pwajock had moved a motion for the bill to be heard, but his colleagues kicked against it, saying it would not only make the national assembly “too powerful”, but also create tension in the country.

Ayo Omideran, lawmaker from Osun, said debating the issue on the floor of the house was a waste of time.

“We don’t need to waste our time on it. This bill wants to make national assembly members to be omnipotent,” she said.

“Anybody that has problems with his governor should go home and settle it.”

Contributing to the debate, Nkeruika Onyejocha, lawmaker from Abia, said the national assembly had no business removing state governors.

She said the proviso of section 11 (4) of the constitution which gives the national assembly powers to take over state houses of assemblies in times of crisis has not worked well enough.

“I say it without mincing words that we don’t have business with the states,” she said.

“We had the issue of Kogi, we were handling their matter and they went ahead to be doing their own.”

Also speaking, Femi Gbajabiamila, majority house leader, said the bill was “ineffective” and lacked “moral and legal sense.”

“This bill must fall on its own sword. Why is this bill before the house? To allow us impeach a governor?” he asked.

Also contributing to the debate, Jagaba Jagaba, lawmaker from Kaduna state, said: “This bill is going to create serious issues and a lot of members will have issues.”

Mohammad Zakari, lawmaker from Kwara state, said Nigeria was practising federalism and not a unitary system of government.

“What we are practising is federalism. Edward Pwajock should bring in a bill to amend the constitution,” Zakari said.

At this point Pwajock was forced to withdraw the bill, and Yusuf Lasun, deputy speaker, stepped down the bill accordingly.