Screening and Approval of Commissioners by G-5 Assembly Members Is Illegal – Audu/Faleke Group

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By Amuda Dan Sulaiman FAB, Lokoja.

 

 … G-15 cries to Buhari to save their lives

 

The Audu/Faleke political organisation today described the appointment of commissioners by Yahaya Bello as an illegal act except the nominees are screened and cleared by the House of Assembly led by the court recognized Speaker, Momoh Jimoh Lawal.

The bizarre approach towards the nomination of 15 commissioners by Governor Yahaya Bello who were screened and approved by the G-5 members of the House of Assembly within 24 hours elicited reaction from the group.

The group in a statement signed by its Director, Media and Publicity, Hon Duro Meseko warned that any attempt by the State Government to send the list to the G5 for clearance and approval would amount to an exercise in futility as the Commissioners would be deemed to have been illegally cleared in the eyes of the law.

“The news came that Alhaji Yahaya Bello announced his Commissioner-nominees today and that he forwarded the list to the State House of Assembly for clearance, which was already done. But the question is which section of the constitution that gave the G-5 Legislators backing against the legally constituted G-15 Legislators duly recognized by the courts and led by Speaker Momoh Jimoh Lawal? Because as at today, the only Speaker recognized by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is Momoh Jimoh Lawal. So any other pretender to the office is manifestly illegal and his actions and inactions in office also illegal”.

The statement equally warned of the consequences of disobedience of court orders under the watch of Yahaya Bello saying that it “portends grave danger to constitutional democracy and the rule of law”.

The Audu/Faleke group further warned financial institutions dealing with the State Government to be wary of illegal transactions not backed by law.

“For those banks which have direct dealings with the state government especially those warehousing the bailout funds like Zenith and Access banks respectively, we would like them to look very well before they leap so as not to regret their official indiscretions when the issues come under official reviews in future. A word, says the sage, is enough for the wise”.

According to the group, “since the Bello administration admitted that it applied and processed the bailout funds by itself, where did the CBN get the Kogi state executive council approval when commissioners had not been appointed and went ahead to release the funds? Which Assembly gave the go-ahead approval even when the Assembly was under lock and key that time? Yet the CBN overlooked all these official requirements and brazenly released the bailout? A loan that would be repaid from the commonwealth of the long suffering Kogi people!”.

“Let it be known to all that all these bizarre illegalities would soon come under official scrutiny and all those found to have breached the laws of the land will be dealt with accordingly”, the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, members of the G-15 lawmakers of the Kogi State House of Assembly has alleged that their lives are in the danger with threat of assassination on daily bases. Addressing newsmen today, the spoke person of the group, Hon Momoh Jimoh Lawal, Prince Matthew Kolawole said it is time for the Presidency to save their lives from danger of assassination from a government that ought to protect lives and property of citizens, save democracy, save rule of law and due process.

According to him, the same unlawful leadership of the Assembly under the protection of governor’s convoy together with the Army, today went to the Assembly Complex and screened commissioner nominees. “This is done not minding the court order. The group of G-5 have not obtained “stay of execution” even though they have applied.

“Most worrisome is the fact that, Army to the best of our knowledge can only be deployed on the order of the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. One wonders where the Governor derives his power to deploy Soldiers to the Assembly Complex,” he queried.

Kolawole insisted that what ever screening of Commissioners, activities or resolutions especially after the judgment of the Federal High Court is null and avoid and of no effect and are all held as efforts in futility.

“If these atrocious crime and criminality, impunity, disregard to rule of law and lawlessness reign unnoticed under pretense, why will crime not be on the rise in the state. Why then are we wasting the state’s resources ones unit,” he asked.

It would be recalled that on Tuesday Army prevented members of the G-15 of the State House of Assembly from sitting but provided full and adequate security for the G-5 as they were allowed to seat.


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