AL-MAKURA IN TROUBLE AS LAWMAKERS MEETS OUTSIDE THE STATE

The plot to impeach Nasarawa State Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Maku­ra, yesterday took a fresh dimen­sion, as the lawmakers purportedly held their sitting outside the state capital with a view to actualising their plan. This is even as the seven-member panel set up to investigate the 16 charges against the gov­ernor, will start sitting today.
It was gathered that the lawmakers met to further mount pressure on the Chief Judge, Justice Umaru Dikko to disband the panel investigating the alleged wrongdoings against the governor which they had claimed was tilted in favour of the embattled governor.

A source familiar with the meeting of the lawmakers, but pleaded not to be named, disclosed that the legislators’ latest move was driven by the pressure from those who are allegedly pushing for the impeachment.
According to the source, President Goodluck Jonathan had advised the lawmakers against the impeachment when he met with them last week, but maintained that some influential Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts who are behind their plot are bent on going ahead with the process.
“The idea behind today’s (yesterday) sitting is to create an impression that the Assembly ordered the Chief Judge to disband the panel and recall the report on expiration of the constitutional period allowed for the panel and go ahead with the impeachment. I want to tell you that these people are desperate to remove the governor. The mace that was used today is not that of Nasarawa House of Assembly. It looked like the one used in the National Assembly”, the source alleged.
The source also claimed that some top members of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly provided the mace that was used during the sitting. “All what is happening is connected to 2015, some persons are afraid of the popularity of the governor and are trying to get rid of him by any means necessary.
“What has happened today (yesterday) is the height of illegality. The Constitution does not empower members to sit outside the complex, let alone outside the state for serious legislative duties.
“What is happening today in Nasarawa State is a clear invitation to anarchy. It is high time all well-meaning-people Nigerians including the President halt this blaring impunity that is capable of generating security breaches not just in Nasarawa, but in other neighbouring states”, the source stated.
Some aides of the governor had accused the lawmakers of collecting N30 million bribe to impeach Al-Makura.