IMPEACHMENT THREAT: AL-MAKURA MEETS PRESIDENT

Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has met with President Goodluck Jonathan over the impeachment process instituted against him by members of the state House of Assembly.
The PUNCH gathered on Monday that the meeting took place in the Presidential Villa, Abuja at the weekend.
A Presidency source, who did not want to be named, told one of our correspondents that the move by the state lawmakers to remove the governor was discussed at the meeting.
The source added that the President informed Al-Makura that he had no hand in his travails.

IMPEACHMENT THREAT: NASARAWA GROUNDED

• Al-Makura, lawmakers flee to Abuja
• Only God can save my husband – Gov’s wife
Activities at the Executive and Legislative arms of government in Nasarawa State have been grounded, following the impeachment notice served on Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura on Monday by the State House of Assembly.
The situation is further compounded by the absence of the governor and lawmakers in the state who have since fled to Abuja.
Since the lawmakers took serious steps by issuing impeachment notice on the governor, both Governor Al-Makura and the legislators have relocated to Abuja, avoiding public appearances.
The development has led to the Assembly Complex and the Governor’s Office being shut with stern-looking security personnel being the noticeable figures in the key government outfits.

NASARAWA IMPEACHMENT: AL-MAKURA RUSHES TO ABUJA TO MEET JONATHAN

Following the impeachment notice served on the Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura by the state Assembly, the embattled state chief executive hurriedly left Lafia, the state capital yesterday for Abuja in an effort to prevail on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the matter.
LEADERSHIP reports that, Al-Makura before leaving the state capital at about 4p.m. had held series of meetings with his aides and party officials intent upon seeing how the impeachment impasse can be surmounted.
Addressing the press at Shendam Road Assembly complex however, the clerk of the Assembly, Mr. Ego Maikeffi, disclosed that after several attempts to serve the impeachment notice on the governor, he was denied access into the Government House.
Ego stated further that in line with the directive of the Speaker, he is set to serve the notice through the media today.

AL-MAKURA: WITH TWO WIVES AND 10 CHILDREN, I CONSIDER MY FAMILY A BIG BUSINESS

He’s not the president but being at the top can be a little lonely. With modesty, he considers himself to be lucky for all the opportunities he’s had in life. Two years ago, he got the mandate to govern a state in Nigeria. And, at age five, he claims he’s been running things. And, with a home boasting of two wives, ten children and four grandkids, Umar Tanko Al-Makura understands very well that charity begins at home. To keep his beloved state and its people moving forward, the blue-blooded governor of Nasarawa state needs to play hardball on critical issues. Thisday engages Al-Makura in what turns to be a thought-provoking episode

I DIDN’T SCALE THE FENCE, I ONLY JUMPED OVER THE GATE – NASARAWA ATTORNEY-GENERAL

The Nasarawa state House of Assembly on Wednesday directed the police to arrest the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Innocent Lagi, for allegedly scaling the fence of the Assembly to enable him to serve a court injunction on the lawmakers.
Following the outcome of last Saturday’s local government election in the state – where the All Progressive Congress won in six local councils and the Peoples Democratic Party in four – the Assembly had summoned the Chairman and members of the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) to appear it to answer questions over the conduct of the election.
However, the state Attorney-General obtained and attempted to serve the Assembly with a court order restraining it from interfering with the activities of the commission.
He drove to the Assembly with two court bailiffs in his car but was prevented from entering by police officers at the entrance to the complex.
The Assembly later accused the commissioner of scaling the fence to gain access and called for his arrest and removal from office.

E X C L U S I V E: AL-MAKURA FACES IMPEACHMENT

.Presidency, PDP woo Nasarawa deputy gov
A plot to remove Nasarawa State Governor Umaru Al-Makura and supplant him with his deputy is being hatched by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Presidency’s foot soldiers, Daily Trust learnt in Abuja at the weekend.
Already the PDP is wooing Deputy Governor Dameshi Barau Luka to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the impeachment, after which he would then take over as a PDP governor and work for the party’s victory in 2015 elections.
The relationship between Al-Makura and his deputy has been frosty since late last year.
Luka has been seen hobnobbing with PDP chiefs, including President Goodluck Jonathan, with whom he worshipped at a church near Keffi in January. After the church service, Luka criticised the APC for asking its federal lawmakers to block executive bills over “impunity” in Rivers State.

HOW AL-MAKURA, HIS DEPUTY FELL APART

The cold war brewing between the Nasarawa State governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura and his deputy, Damishi Luka Barau, boiled over Tuesday when the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State announced the suspension of Barau.
The Chairman of the APC in the state, Mr Stanley Buba, announced the suspension yesterday in Lafia, the state capital, citing allegation of anti-party activities.
The rift, observers believe, could threaten the strength of the APC in the state.
Stanley while addressing journalists yesterday claimed that members of the party from the deputy governor's Ningo ward in Akwanga had carried out the suspension which is to run till Baura gives a suitable explanation to his comment over the directive by the APC national executive who called for members of the party at the national assembly to block all executive sponsored Bills.
The deputy governor was said to have countered the directive by condemning the action and calling on members of the APC in the national assembly to disregard it for the interest of the country.

DEFECTION TO PDP: 2 NASARAWA APC LAWMAKERS GOT N100M – GOV

The Nasarawa State governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura yesterday said the two members of the House of Representatives representing the state at the House of Representatives were enticed with N50 million each to defect from APC to PDP.
Two House of Representatives members from Nasarawa State on the platform of APC, Dr Joseph Haruna Kigbu and Mr David Umbugadu, representing Lafia/Obi and Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/Wamba federal constituencies respectively were reported last week to have dumped the APC to the PDP.

LOOTING LAWMAKERS: NASARAWA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY MEMBERS POCKET N100M EACH PER ANNUM

Each member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly in North-Central Nigeria takes home about a whopping N100 million per annum, it has been revealed.
The details were contained in documents obtained by News Express from the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), the group which recently raised the alarm that Nasarawa lawmakers are bleeding the struggling state dry and, in fact, earn more than their counterparts in other states and even those in the National Assembly.
The documents procured by CSNAC showed that each member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly currently takes home the following:

AL-MAKURA DENIES SPENDING N1.5B ON SON’S WEDDING

Governor of Nasarawa State Tanko Al-Makura has denied spending N1.5 billion on his son’s wedding in the United States, stating that the state government only contributed N20 million to event.

 Al-Makura however, reminded concerned groups that he was personally capable of spending such a sum having been a successful businessman before becoming governor.

Al-Makura, who spoke through his Director of Press D.O.P Illiasu Yakubu referred politicians in doubt as to the governor’s financial worth to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), which he said documented the governor’s assets before taking over office. 

FOUR NASARAWA VARSITY PROTESTING STUDENTS SHOT DEAD

Four Students of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi,  were on Monday shot dead by security operatives in Keffi during a demonstration in the vicinity of the institution.

A 400 Level student of Geography, simply identified as Aminu, was said to be among those killed, while several others received gunshot injuries.

The crisis compelled the authorities to shut down the institution.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the Nasarawa State Police Command, Mr. Michael Ada, said two students died, while seven others received gunshot injuries.

About 17 other students were arrested by security agents, including the institution’s President of the Students Union.