The embattled Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Mr Adamu Usman, has described his purported impeachment as unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and of no effect.

Briefing journalists shortly after his impeachment at the NUJ Press Center, Minna, the former speaker, who was accompanied by his impeached Deputy, Abdulrahaman Bala Gambo, and other impeached principal officers of the House, insisted that he is still the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly.

According to him, “We are still the leaders of the House of Assembly. I am happy they did not accuse any of us of financial mismanagement as reason for our impeachment.”

He said that the leadership of the House has done everything possible to let the executive realise that the House needs funds to keep the business of the House going, but because of the economic situation in the country, nothing has been done.

“Since January 2015, we have never received overhead cost because of problems associated with federal account. Everybody is aware. I do not control finance, as it comes I disburse. So, the impeachment beats my imagination.

“Whatever you see today is illegal because the Mace is under my custody. So whatever decision they took today (Tuesday), it is illegal,” he said.

Beside this, the Speaker disclosed that there was a court injunction from the State High Court, signed by the Chief Judge, Justice Fati Lamin Abubakar, restraining the Defendants (21 other members) jointly and severally from setting in motion any process of impeachment pending the determination of the motion on notice.

“Myself (the Speaker), my Deputy, the Chief Whip and the Majority Leader are still in charge. There are grudges that government had not done anything to them as expected. We are making efforts to see what we can do about it. But we are hearing they carried out an impeachment without any offence,” he said.

Speaking on the Governor Babangidal Aliyu, Adamu said “what it means now is that the Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu should get himself prepared because I advised him before hand on this matter. So, anything that comes out of it, he should get prepared.”

•Photo shows Adamu Usman.

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