The Chief of Staff to Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, Prof. Hussaini Marte, says the governor never attached any seriousness to recent rumoured impeachment by the House of Assembly.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the assembly had, on Friday, conducted an extra-ordinary session to debunk the speculation that it was planning to impeach the governor.
Marte made the governor’s position known while addressing lawmakers and other dignitaries at the launch of the Ninth Assembly Magazine and Awards Presentation, organised by Northern Borno Students’ Association, in collaboration the assembly.
He said that the governor had a cordial working relationship with the assembly and knew that the lawmakers would not contemplate such a thing.
“The assembly has done exemplary well in terms of relationship with the executive and passage of bills.
“I have never seen a house working so closely with the executive in the history of Nigeria like this ninth assembly.
“What happened (impeachment rumours) is most unfortunate. I know it’s just a mere mischief by someone to cause confusion.
“That person will not succeed and he has not succeeded.
“I want to inform all members of assembly that His Excellency has not taken that seriously, as he believes you can’t do anything like that,” Marte said.
He assured the legislators of commitment by the executive arm to work with them in transforming the state.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the assembly, Alhaji Abdulkarim Lawan, who described the development as mere speculation, said the house had conducted an extra- ordinary session to debunk it and passed a vote of confidence on the governor.
Lawan said that the assembly was poised to checkmating anyone trying to brew confusion between it and the executive arm, adding that security agencies had been directed to fish out those behind the rumours.
NAN reports that the lawmakers, led by the speaker and the executive arm, led by Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Kadafur, were at Maiduguri Airport on Sunday to join the crowd of supporters in welcoming the governor back from Abuja.
Kadafur, in his remarks during the rally, said that they were there to show solidarity with Zulum and reassure him that the people of the state were solidly behind him.
(NAN)