By Mustapha Usman
Barring last minute changes, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Kabiru Rurum, will be impeached by overwhelming majority of the members on Monday, July 3.
DAILY NIGERIAN reported on June 21 that no fewer than 32 out of the 40 members of the Kano State House of Assembly signed for the impeachment of the Speaker, Kabiru Rurum, following mounting allegations of corruption, extortion and high-handedness.
Mr Rurum was accused by the members of cornering N100million allegedly given to them by billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote, to shelve the probe of Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
Members who spoke to this newspaper on the condition of anonymity said the tally had increased to 34 on Saturday despite the Speaker’s intense lobby.
Sources said the Speaker is also visiting the houses of the aggrieved members to beg for forgiveness. “Apart from visiting the houses of members to beg for forgiveness, he also sent elders from Kibiya, Rano and Bunkure to meet the governor and plead for his intervention today,” said a source.
As the impeachment plot thickens over the weekend, 29 of the 34 aggrieved members met on Saturday and Sunday and finalised that a vote of no confidence would be passed on the Speaker without reference to his actual offences.
A member representing Nassarawa Constituency, Ibrahim Gama, is expected to raise the motion, while his counterpart from Kabo Constituency, Ayuba Labaran, will second the motion.
The state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, had set up a three-man committee headed by a party elder, Nasiru Aliko-Koki, to persuade the aggrieved members to shelve the impeachment.
DAILY NIGERIAN learnt that several meetings with the defiant legislators were held and all ended in stalemate.
Another member of the House who also preferred not to be named, said Mr Ganduje is also in support of Mr Rurum’s removal but feigned commitment. “Let me tell you the fact,” said the member, “this impeachment is inevitable and the governor is aware of this reality.
“The governor is no longer in support of Rurum but set up the committee to show that he made efforts to save his loyal Speaker. But Ganduje knows that the impeachment is irreversible.”
The governor had also met with the principal officers on Saturday but the meeting ended in a deadlock.
The governor is holding a meeting with the members tonight to finalize the succession plan.
THE LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR SPEAKER
A member of representing Fagge Constituency, Yusuf Ata, is now the leading candidate. He it was who mooted the impeachment idea more than a month ago and began collating signatures of the members.
Firm, principled and independent-minded, Mr Ata is also a loyalist of the governor.
But the governor fears that he may not have the control of the House under Mr Ata in view of this “strictness”.
“Yes Ata is strict and principled. But it is dangerous for Ganduje to oppose him at this moment because of the overwhelming support he has and the respect he commands in the Assembly,” said a source.
Another likely candidate is the Deputy Speaker Hamisu Chidari. Suave and unassuming, Mr Chidari, who represents Makoda Constituency, may likely get the backing of the governor tonight.
“But even if the governor supports Chidari tonight, it may boomerang tomorrow because the members prefer Ata.
The third likely candidate is member representing Ajingi Constituency, Abdulaziz Gafasa.
Mr Gafasa, a level-headed politician, was one time Speaker of the House during the tenure of Governor Ibrahim Shekarau.
