Zamfara: Anger Over Impeachment Proceedings Against Deputy Governor

By Adesina Soyooye

There is disquiet in Zamfara State over the notice of Impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor of the State, Alhaji Mahdi  Aliyu Mohammed Gusau.

The Zamfara State House of Assembly, on Friday, February 4, 2022, began impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor.

The beginning of the impeachment followed a presentation made by the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Nasiru Magarya.

In a statement announcing the beginning of the impeachment process,  the House of Assembly said it was began: “As part of the provision of section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that empowers Legislatures  to commence impeachment  move of a governor or his Deputy on allegations of constitutional breaches, wrong doing, or abuse of office.”

It continued: “Therefore, today, the Deputy Speaker and Chairman House Committee on Public Accounts presented a formal request notifying the Speaker of the House move to impeach Barr. Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau as the Deputy Governor of the State.”

According to the statement, “The Deputy Speaker accused the Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, of alleged constitutional breaches, abuse of office and financial  misappropriation, which are all impeachable offences.”

Therefore, the process began immediately, without delay.

Not a few people think that the impeachment process against Aliyu Gusau is an injustice carried too far, and can only be considered in a country bereft of a democratic norms.

The People’s Democratic Party, the Deputy Governor’s Party, is crying foul. In a strongly-worded statement it released on Saturday, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the Party said “The move against Deputy Governor is a recipe for crisis.”  The Party said the process is the handiwork of the Governor of the State,  Bello Matawalle and said he “should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order which can result to bloodshed in Zamfara State for which he can also be personally held liable even beyond the shores of Nigeria as the world is watching.”

The Deputy Governor’s problem began when he refused to defect, with the Governor, from the party under which both of them were elected to office.

Both men were sworn into office on the ticket of the PDP, after the Supreme Court voided the victory of the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidates, who won every election in the State during the 2019 General Elections. In a ruling which shook the State, and the, just like that of Bayelsa State Governorship, the Supreme Court sacked  them less than 24 hours to the swearing-in ceremony.

Matawalle and Aliyu-Gusau were beneficiaries of that ruling. But in one of the most untidy political somersaults in the history of politics in Nigeria, midway into their tenure in office, the Governor defected to the APC.

On principles, and on moral grounds, his Deputy refused  to defect to the PDP. His father, the very respected General Mohammed Aliyu Gusau, (rtd) is a foundation member of the PDP.

Since this incident, things have not been the same between the Governor and the Deputy Governor. The Governor, according to reports, have done everything to frustrate his Deputy into resigning, including, allegedly, denying him of all his entitlements, and rendering him redundant. But the Deputy Governor stayed put, with the full support of his Party.

The initial move, months ago, to impeach the Deputy Governor was aborted when a Federal High Court, Abuja,  gave an order, restraining the Zamfara House of Assembly from proceeding. That apart, the PDP is in Court, seeking to sack the Governor from office to reclaim its mandate, and so instal the Deputy Governor as the duly elected Governor  of the State, especially, given that the Supreme Court in its ruling said that the APC had no candidates – House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governor- in the 2019 General Elections.

The onus lies on the Chief Judge of the State. Will he constitute an impeachment panel or ignore the House of Assembly? If he ignores them, it will not be a precedent.

In Ondo State, the then Chief Judge of the State, the  Hon. Justice Akeredolu, refused to set up a panel for the impeachment of the immediate past Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi.

Before that, the late Chief Judge of Kogi State, set up a Panel which exonerated the then Deputy Governor of the State from all the impeachment allegations against him. It did not, however, stop the House of Assembly, backed by Governor Yahaya Bello from carrying out the illegal action.

In Imo State where Senator Rochas Okorocha was changing his Deputy Governors as if he was changing his boxers, a courageous Judge in the State, the Honourable Justice Benjamin Iheaka, dismissed the impeachment of his former Deputy, Eze Madumere as null and void. Later another, also, threw out the impeachment of his first Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, as worthless.

Following, is the full text of the reaction of the PDP to the impeachment process against  Deputy Governor  Aliyu Gusau of Zamfara State.

PDP Cautions Matawalle

Over Impeachment Misadventure

…Says Move Against Deputy Governor A Recipe for Crisis

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the strongest terms cautions the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle for stoking and inducing violence in the State by orchestrating and manipulating the State House of Assembly to commence an illegal and undemocratic process of impeachment against the democratically elected Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, His Excellency Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau.

“This illegal process of impeachment despite a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Abuja in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/ 650/2021 portends grave implication for peace and security not only in Zamfara State but the entire North West region as well as the continued sustenance of democracy in our country.

“It is clear that this panic move by Governor Matawalle is induced by his realization that the mandate of the PDP which he stole away into the APC is at the verge of being recovered through the legal processes of the court and restored to the Deputy Governor; he (Matawalle), having violated the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) in recklessly moving to the APC when there is no division in the PDP.

“Governor Matawalle should note that the people of Zamfara State are solidly with the Deputy Governor, who enjoys large political following in the State as the custodian of the PDP mandate after Matawalle’s infamous defection to the APC. As such, any action against the Deputy Governor amounts to a direct assault on the Will of the people which they will firmly resist.

“Any attempt therefore to strip the Deputy Governor of the mandate of the people on the grounds of baseless and unfounded allegations is a recipe for serious crisis that can result in the complete breakdown of law and order in the State.

“The State House of Assembly is therefore cautioned not to allow itself to be pitched against the people and destroy the State because of the bloated ego of Governor Matawalle whose political career is at its twilight.

“Governor Matawalle must know that the people of Zamfara State cannot allow his personal frustration and ego to be exchanged for their mandate which is now embodied in the Deputy Governor.

“The PDP calls on the Inspector General of Police to note how Governor Matawalle, out of frustration has constituted himself into a security threat in Zamfara State and the entire North West region, where he is now threatening the lives of members of the PDP and other well-meaning citizens of Zamfara State.

“Our Party alerts Nigerians of how Governor Matawalle has been hounding members of the Zamfara State Working Committee of the PDP particularly, our State Deputy Chairman, Prof. Kabiru Jabaka, who has been forced to relocate out of the State over threats to his life.

“Moreover, the PDP notes with consternation, Governor Matawalle’s well-known connections and negotiations with bandits and terrorists and calls on Nigerians to hold him responsible should any harm befall our party members in the State.

“The PDP calls on President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to immediately call Governor Matawalle to order and ensure that this action which is a great assault on democracy especially the principle of Separation of Powers and peaceful co-existence in Zamfara State is halted forthwith.

“In any case, Governor Matawalle must be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order which can result to bloodshed in Zamfara State for which he can also be personally held liable even beyond the shores of Nigeria as the world is watching.”