KUNLE ODEREMI, in this report, reflects on the slippery terrain of speakership in state Houses of Assembly, vis-à-vis the circumstances surrounding the abrupt end of the tenure of many speakers in more than two-thirds of the 36 state legislatures in the 26 years of civil rule in the country.
The impeachment clause in the 1999 Constitution is among the instruments designed to guarantee checks and balances in the business of governance. State legislatures across the states have deployed the mechanism to remove their speakers accusing them of multiple infractions. Reports show that no fewer than 29 out of the 36 state Houses of Assembly have removed their speakers, sometimes in controversial circumstances in the last 26 years. All the six geopolitical zones in the country have recorded the sudden volcanic eruptions that threw up new speakers. Some states have recorded the scenario more than the rest, even when the same political party has the majority and produced the governor of a state. So far, five states have had female speakers since 1999. The list includes Benue, Anambra, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti. In the case of Anambra, a female speaker led the Assembly in three different years. Cases of impeachment of speakers have also swept across other states like Cross River, Ogun, Zamfara, Rivers, Gombe, Benue, Ebonyi, Anambra, Borno, Plateau, Niger, Edo, Delta, Ekiti, Imo, Kastina, Ondo, Jigawa, Taraba, Kebbi, Kano, Bayelsa and Abia. What, however, constitutes the banana peel, the metaphor for the slipperiness of the number one seat in the state legislature has become varies significantly from one episode to the other.
1999 Constitution
There is no consensus among experts on the processes often taken by some Houses of Assembly in exercising their powers on the change of leadership. Scholars and other stakeholders claim the processes lack due processes as enshrined in the grundnorm of the country. Lawmakers sometimes are made to spend much time trying to justify their actions after the impeachment exercise has been concluded. The constitution states in Section 92 (2) (a) (b) and (c) of the constitution that, “The speaker or deputy speaker of the House of Assembly shall vacate office – if he ceases to be a member of the House of Assembly otherwise by reason of the dissolution of the house.
“When the house first sits after dissolution of the house or if he is removed from office by a resolution of assembly by votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all members of the house.”
Factors that have largely triggered the wave of impeachment of speakers of state Houses of Assembly include: rivalry between the executive and the legislative arm of government, alleged infractions by house leadership, supremacy contest among diverse tendencies in a political party in power and has the majority in the legislature and lastly, attempts to achieve a delicate balance in power between a ruling party and the minority in the house. Lawmakers sometimes accuse their speakers of arbitrariness in decision making, causing division by favouring a group of members in the house as opposed to encouraging a sense of belonging among all the members. Therefore, the instrument of impeachment is often deployed to settle political scores.
Lagos
Recall that on January 13, this year, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly removed their Speaker, Honourable Mudashiru Obasa, who has been in the saddle from 2015. A total of 32 members voted to remove him during the plenary over sundry allegations, including gross misconduct and abuse of office. Consequently, he was replaced with Honourable Mojisola Meranda as speaker, becoming the first elected female Lagos Speaker. The Lagos Assembly has had five speakers since the return of democracy in 1999. Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora was the first speaker after the return of democracy almost 26 years ago. Honourable Waheed Jokotola Pelumi, who was the speaker of the 5th Legislative Assembly between June 2, 2003, and December 29, 2005, was replaced by Honourable Sabit Adeyemi Ikuforiji before the end of his tenure.
Benue
In 2000, Chief (Mrs) Margaret Icheen, the first female Speaker in Nigeria, was reportedly forced to resign from her position in the Benue State House of Assembly. Also in Benue, Terkimbi Ikyange, was impeached in July 2018, by 21 out of 30 members over allegations of highhandedness. He was subsequently suspended from the House for six months. The assembly elected Titus Uba as its new Speaker.
Cross River
Honourable Elvert Ayambem, Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, was impeached in May 2024, by 17 out of 25 members over allegations of misappropriation of funds. But following intervention by Governor Bassey Otu, Ayambem was reinstated later that month.
Katsina
Twenty-four out of the 34 members of the Katsina state house of assembly voted in favour of the removal of Aliyu Muduru as speaker. Muduru was replaced with Yahya Abubakar from Kusada constituency. Katsina. In 2017, the assembly had removed Honourable Aliyu Sabiu Muduru as speaker.
Ondo
Honourable Jumoke Akindele, the first female speaker of the Ondo State house of assembly, was also removed on January 28, 2017. Akindele had earlier been removed in March 2016, but the then Governor Olusegun Mimiko, intervened and she was reinstated. Speaker Bamidele Oloyelogun and his deputy, Oladeji Iroju, were eased out in November 2018 by 18 out of 26 lawmakers over allegations of gross misconduct.
Ogun
In 2024, 18 out of the 26 members of the state House of Assembly removed Olakunle Oluomo as their speaker Olakunle Oluomo because of alleged gross misconduct, among other infractions. Before then, he had a running battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Zamfara
Honourable Bilyaminu Moriki lost his seat as the speaker of the Zamfara State assembly when the majority of the members of the Assembly passed a no confidence vote in his leadership. A total of 18 out of 24 members passed the loss of confidence vote in Moriki.
Abia
The Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji, vacated the position unceremoniously in May in 2023, as 18 out of 24 members voted in favour of his removal.
Rivers
In Rivers State, eight members of the state Assembly impeached Speaker Martins Amaewhule and his deputy, Dumle Maol. Edison Ehie. The latter, who was earlier removed as the House Leader, was appointed as the new Speaker.
Ekiti
In 2022, a total of 17 out of 25 members of the Ekiti State House Assembly approved the impeachment of Gboyega Aribisogan, as the speaker of the house. Ekiti. In October 2018, Kola Oluwawole and his deputy, Sina Animaun, were removed from their positions by 14 members of the assembly.
Imo
Nineteen out of 27 members of the Imo State Assembly in 2021 impeached Paul Emeziem, as the speaker of the house.
Plateau
In October 2021, 16 out of 24 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly removed Speaker Abok Ayuba following differences with the executive arm of government.
Kebbi
In Kebbi State, the Speaker Isma’il Kamb of the State House of Assembly and his deputy, Muhammadu Aliyu were relieved of their positions by 20 out of 24 members of the State House of Assembly.
Edo
In 2016, Honourable Victor Edoro was impeached by 16 of the 24 members of the Edo State House of Assembly based on alleged high-handedness, dictatorial tendencies and others. In October 2020, another Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Frank Okiye was removed, replacing him with Honourable Marcus Onobun.
Gombe
In November 2020, Abubakar Ibrahim was removed by the Gombe State House of Assembly. Honourable Abubakar Luggerewo became his successor.
Bayelsa
In September 2019, Emmanuel Tonye Isenah ceased to be the speaker of the Bayelsa House of Assembly following the incident of gunshots witnessed in the Assembly complex.
Jigawa
In Jigawa State, Isa Idris lost his seat as the speaker of the state Assembly. So, Honourable Idris Garba was re-elected to the office of speaker.
Kano
In December 2011, the Kano State House of Assembly impeached its speaker, Yusuf Falgore and settled for Honourable Gambo Sallau as Falgore’s replacement. In July 2018, a total of 27 lawmakers also signed an impeachment notice that led to removal of Honourable Abdullahi as Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly. He was accused of incompetence and poor collaboration with other members.
Anambra
In November 2018, Rita Maduagwu was removed as the speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly by 22 out of 30 members.
Jigawa
In January 2017, the Jigawa State House of Assembly removed Speaker Idris Garba, citing allegations of high-handedness and abuse of power.
Delta
In May 2017, Delta State Speaker Monday Igbuya was impeached after 22 lawmakers passed a vote of no confidence in him.
Niger
In May 2015, Adamu Usman, Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, was impeached by 18 out of 27 members in May 2015.
Kebbi
The Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Hassan Shalla, was impeached by 12 out of 24 members over allegations of breach of trust and malfeasances.
Ebonyi
In July 2014, Chukwuma Nwazunku was relieved of office as the speaker of the Ebonyi State Assembly by a two-thirds majority of members on the grounds of incompetence, gross misconduct, and other allegations.
Kogi
In December 2015, Honourable Mommoh Jimoh, was forced to step down for belonging to the same ethnic group with Yahaya Bello, who had just emerged governor.
Taraba
In 2013, the Taraba State House of Assembly members reportedly impeached the speaker, Istifanus Gbana, by 17 out of 24 members. In 2014, Honourable Josiah Sabo Kente was ‘forced’ to resign as Speaker of the same Assembly.
Borno
In February 2012, the Borno State House of Assembly impeached its speaker, Honourable Goni Ali Modu, after being accused of subservience to the executive arm of government.
Speakers’ outcry
In June 3, 2021, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria sought an amendment of the constitution in a bid to ‘stave off’ the seeming tidal wave that tends to sweep speakers out of office. It was averse to what the umbrella body described as embarrassing the impeachment of speakers without giving them a fair hearing. Therefore, the Conference sought an amendment to impeachment procedures of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly. The Speaker of Niger State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Wuse, made the call in Abuja on Thursday at the ongoing national public hearing on review of the 1999 Constitution. Mr Abdullahi, who spoke on behalf of the body, said there was a need to strengthen legislative procedures of removing a speaker. He said the process of removing a speaker of a House of Assembly without fair hearing was an embarrassing situation that had always played out in Nigeria.
“The conference is proposing an amendment to section 92(c) of the constitution. The speakers deserve fair hearing and not for those members to come up and remove the speaker without hearing from the speaker. So, we are calling for the procedure where the speaker should be heard and the allegation properly investigated and, if found indicted, then a speaker can be removed,” Abdullahi stated.
Legal perspective
At the time that more than six speakers lost their seats during the first tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara had raised serious worries over the trend, which by his own estimation, posed an “existential threat” to the nation’s democracy. He called for caution on the part of the variegated interests often behind the development. Dogara stated: “The recent spate of impeachment of speakers of houses of assembly of states gives cause for grave concern. While we recognise the constitutional right of the legislature to conduct its internal affairs, including the right to hire and fire its leadership, it presents a different scenario where such leadership hiring and firing is rife with accusations and insinuations of external influence and also devoid of extant procedure. Leaders everywhere can only function efficiently where there is certainty that commendation is the reward for good leadership and sanction the consequence of inept leadership.”
A scholar, Wahab Shittu (SAN), also offered a possible way out of some controversial issues surrounding the removal of speakers of state Houses of Assembly. He strongly advocated that some sections of the constitution need to be properly interpreted. Shittu said the constitution needed to clarify what actions by a speaker could amount to “gross misconduct.” The constitutional lawyer canvassed for a code of political and ethical conduct to guide on how they comport themselves. (Nigerian Tribune)
