By Ali Abare Abubakar & Gambo Ahmed, Lafia
Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura, of Nasarawa state, will today appear before the 7-man committee set up by the state Chief Judge, Justice Umaru Dikko, to investigate allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him by the members of the state House of Assembly.
Confirming this to our reporter yesterday, Malam Iliyasu Ali Yakubu, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said Al-makura will appear before the panel to defend himself against the allegations levelled against him.
According to the CPS, Governor Al-makura has made it clear that he is willing to set aside his immunity as a governor to appear before the panel to not only explain everything to the world but to also exonerate himself from the charges of alleged gross misconduct made against him by the state lawmakers.
According to Malam Yakubu, “We are all aware that governor Al-makura has been a prudent leader, a transparent leader; so, he deserves the right to prove this to the entire world that indeed, he is a prudent leader.”
The CPS disclosed that there are high expectations amongst the people of the state, regarding the appearance of the governor before the panel, “because we know His Excellency will not allow himself to be caught in any financial wrongdoings. We all know where he came from
and where he is heading to.”
He however appealed to the people of the state, particularly the supporters of the governor to restrain themselves and to remain peaceful and law-abiding.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in Nasarawa state has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominated House of assembly lacks the moral rectitude to seek to remove Governor Al makura, based on trumped up charges of gross misconduct.
The APC made this known during a press conference held at the weekend, at the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) Press Centre, Makurdi Road, Lafia, warning that it would stand firm in resistance any plan by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to unseat Governor Al-makura.
While questioning the rationale behind the lawmakers’ move to impeach Al-makura, the state APC chairman, Philip Tatari Shekwo, disclosed that, from reliable information, the legislators have pocketed a whopping sum of over seven billion Naira in just three years, as well as additional constituency allowance of N2.4billion and N4billion as salary “without anything to show for it.”
Shekwo warned that, as part of the party’s effort to enthrone issue-based politics that would usher in good governance in the state, the APC would not fold its arms and watch while the PDP use its dominance at the House of Assembly to steal the mandate of the people.
He described as unacceptable moves by the PDP in the state, exploiting its dominance at the state assembly, to engage in all manner of subterfuge, distractions and brazen display of impunity against the APC government headed by governor Al-makura.
The APC chairman, while decrying the tacit support granted the PDP lawmakers by major PDP stakeholders, including the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku and the “disgraced” former Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma as well as their co-travelers in Abuja, lamented that instead of joining hands to contribute to the recovery of the state from the precipice of under development which PDP misrule has taken the state to “these unpatriotic elements are now engaging in plots to scuttle the fast pace of development currently going on under the APC administration.”
“We are recounting these because the gullible public may mistake the posture of PDP and unpatriotic agents, the legislators, as being informed by altruistic or genuine concern for good governance and accountability, which is their hackneyed mantra. They are however governed by pathological desire for power and only for power sake” he stated.
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