Kogi Assembly Lifts Suspension On Two Council Chairmen, Confirms New Scribe For Igalamela/Odolu »

The Kogi State House of Assembly on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of a new Secretary, Alhaji Faruna Yunusa, for Igalamela/ Odolu Local Government Area.

This was after the House resolved into Committee of the Whole where Alhaji Yunusa was screened and confirmed Secretary to the Local Government.

Representative of Igalamela/Odolu State constituency, Hon Barr. Cosmas Atabor moved that the nominee be allowed to take a bow and go being a well known person to him.

In the progress report, the Speaker, Rt Hon Mathew Kolawole confirmed the nominee as Secretary to the Local Government.

Meanwhile, the State House of Assembly, yesterday, ratified the reinstatement of two Local Government Chairmen who had earlier been placed on suspension on allegations of terrorism and electoral violence.

The Speaker, Prince Mathew Kolawole who read the resolutions of the House said Hon Akaba Joseph, Ajaokuta LG Chairman and Hon Joseph Salami of Adavi LG were reinstated after they were found not guilty to all the allegations against them.

Prince Kolawole stated that the Chairman of Kabba/Bunu LG, Hon Tolorunleke Moses would remain suspended, urging him to appear before the Investigation Committee of the House.

Earlier, the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Rabiu Momoh Alfa, representing Ankpa II State Constituency, and Chairman of the Investigative committee while reading the interim report disclosed that the suspension of council chairmen in the state was based on reports that emanated from the Department of State Security (DSS) which accused them of engaging in terrorism and electoral violence.

He said the committee was still investigating their level of involvement in the said allegations.

Reading further, Rt. Hon. Alfa said the committee resolved to set aside the suspension of the Chairmen of Adavi and Ajaokuta councils having been absolved of the allegations.

The Deputy Speaker however noted that Hon Moses Tolorunleke of Kabba/Bunu was still undergoing investigation and therefore should remain suspended.

He requested the House to give the committee more legislative days to allow for more time to complete its investigation on Tolorunleke.

He explained that more time was needed in view of the fact that Tolorunleke appeared only once out of the three times the committee sat, adding that he was also accused of financial impropriety.

In a voice vote, during report of committee of the whole, the House ratified the reinstatement of the Adavi and Ajaokuta councils chairmen while that of Kabba/ Bunu remains suspended.