30 July 2018•Update: 30 July 2018
By Rafiu Ajakaye
LAGOS, Nigeria
The governor of Nigeria’s north-central Benue state was served an impeachment notice by eight ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) lawmakers on Monday, heightening political tension.
The impeachment notice came a few days after Samuel Ortom resigned from the APC amid the party’s internal crisis.
Terkimbi Ikyange, leader of the lawmakers, said the impeachment move followed alleged siphoning of $300 million in state funds by the governor amid his administration's failure to pay its workers
The lawmakers’ action is a controversial one under Nigerian law since they did not form a quorum before making the decision. At least two-thirds of the 30-member state house assembly is required to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor.
But Ikyange claimed the 22 other members of the house had already been suspended earlier on Monday. The assembly was cordoned off by security agents who reportedly barred opposition lawmakers from the assembly.
In a counter move on Monday, opposition People's Democratic Party lawmakers also suspended seven APC lawmakers for an illegal plenary, among other offenses, during a sitting held in government house.
The crisis in the state parliament began last week after lawmakers loyal to Ortom impeached state assembly Speaker Ikyange -- a spillover of the bigger political crisis that provoked Ortom’s defection from the ruling party.
