…as lawmakers rally behind deputy speaker as replacement
Strong indications emerged, on Tuesday, that the ailing Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Aminu Alkali, may soon be impeached and replaced.
This move by the state’s lawmakers is coming on the heels of a prolonged illness that has made it impossible for the Taraba deputy Governor to perform the functions of his office in the past nine months.
It was gathered that already the lawmakers have rallied behind the current Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Alhaji Hamman Adama, as Alkali’s likely successor.
This has also been confirmed by multiple sources within the Taraba State House of Assembly as well as senior officials in government circles.
Alhough the Taraba House of Assembly has yet to initiate formal impeachment or replacement proceedings, a senior official, who pleaded anonymity, said discussions are ongoing to activate the constitutional process to impeach the ailing Deputy Governor.
“The deputy governor has been bedridden for months. We can no longer afford to operate without a fully active deputy in such a critical role,” the source said.
But the state government has refuted the claims.
Special Adviser to Governor Agbu Kefas on Media and Digital Communication, Emmanuel Bello, said such a speculation is baseless, adding in a statement, “No one has nominated anyone to be Deputy Governor to Dr. Agbu Kefas. Disregard any fake news.”
The Deputy Governor’s office had yet to issue any official statement about his health condition or the alleged succession plot as of the time of filing this report.
But a senior government official in the deputy governor’s office, who declined to be identified, confirmed a plot to relieve the ailing Alkali of his duties.
