Embattled Sokoto State Assembly Speaker says he is still speaker
The Speaker of the Sokoto State Assembly, Alhaji Lawali Marghai, has described his purported impeachment by 10 of the 30 members of the Assembly at the weekend as "illegal, null, void and unconstitutional.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, 10 ANPP Assemblymen removed Marghai, for some alleged "anti party" activities.
They installed the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Abdullahyi Maigwandu, as the new speaker, while Umar Mode Hiliya, of Tambuwal West Constituency was elected as the new deputy speaker.
They also declared the seats of Marghai, the House leader, Bello Goronyo as well as 18 law makers, as "vacant".
According to the ANPP lawmakers, their action followed the defection of Marghai and the 19 others to APP, citing section 109 of the 1999 constitution as their basis.
The lawmakers were said to have "sat" in the residence of one of them, with a "new mace."
Addressing a news conference in Sokoto on Friday, Marghai, however averred, "all what I know is that, I am still the speaker of the state Assembly."
Marghai said that, the sitting of the 10 members was "wrong and unconstitutional," because they did not sit in the chamber for to carry out their action.
The House leader also described the constitution as a "clever book," saying that section 109, sub-section G, gave the mandate to a member, to "cross-carpet" from one party" to the other, provided, "there is a crisis".
``That was what the twenty members of the Assembly did.
When we decided that, there was chaos in the dead ANPP, we opted out and formed our own party, duly recognised by INEC," he explained.