There is serious tension and controversy over the impeachment of former Zamfara State Deputy Governor, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau by the State House of Assembly.
The impeachment followed allegations of financial misappropriation and failure to report promptly to the office since Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was gathered that the State lawmakers had earlier summoned the embattled former deputy Governor to defend himself over the allegations but he refused to appear.
Instead, he rushed to court to stop the impeachment process.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been accusing Governor Matawalle of being responsible for the impeachment, but the Governor through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Zailani Bappa denied the claim, saying that the Governor cannot dictate to the State House of Assembly on its activities.
The PDP had stated that after extensive review of the impeachment, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau still remains intact as the Deputy Governor of the State.
However, this medium authoritatively reports that since the political crisis started between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition PDP in the State, activities of the PDP have been moving on the lowest ebb, as all the leaders of the party have shifted their base from the State.
According to the party’s legal Adviser in the State, Barrister Bashir Abubakar Masama, it was the tension that forced them out of the State.
With less than one year to the 2023 general elections, the party has not made any arrangement to coordinate its supporters.
Reacting swiftly over the impeachment of the deputy Governor, the State legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Barrister Bashir Abubakar Masama had also described the impeachment as illegal.
He explained that the State House of Assembly has no constitutional power to go on with the impeachment process since the case was still in the court.
He pointed out that the court had earlier asked everyone to maintain the status quo.
Also, in a press statement signed by the principal private secretary to the former Deputy Governor, Mr. Aminu Umar, he said since the deputy Governor refused to defect to APC with the Governor last year, the monthly allocation of N30 million naira to his office had been stopped.
“This is a legal battle that must be won for the cause of justice because we have hope in the judiciary.
“Both the House of Assembly and the 7 man judicial panel did not give the deputy Governor a fair hearing at all.
“We were all disappointed by the ugly trend since the House has said that no court could stop the impeachment of the Deputy Governor which means the lawmakers had concluded on impeaching him without fair trial,” he said.
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