From Ron Jacob, Jos.
Impeached Speaker of Plateau House of Assembly, Mr Peter Azi, has said that he has no regret over his removal as the helmsman of the House by his colleagues on Wednesday afternoon.
Azi, a Narakutan from Jos North-East Constituency, was unanimously removed by his colleagues in a dramatic sitting that brought his kinsman, Mr Joshua Madaki, from Jos East Constituency, in his stead as New Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
Also removed was the Majority leader, Mr Henry Yenkwap, representing Shendam constituency, now replaced with Mr Daniel Nanlong representing Mikang constituency.
Their impeachment followed an unanimous decision by 20 out of the 24 members of the House, who took part in the Wednesday plenary.
Speaking to Everyday.ng shortly after his removal, Azi described his removal as “part of legislative dynamism’’ that shapes democracy.
“I don’t have any regret over my removal as speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
“To me, my impeachment is just part of the legislative dynamism which I should gladly accept as it helps in shaping our democracy.
“In fact, I now feel relief because I didn’t have time to parley with people in my own constituency because I took the entire state as my constituency as a Speaker then,” he said.
Azi said, “I am happy that my colleagues didn’t pin point my area of fault in my leadership but only claimed they just needed a change of leadership’’.
On the insinuation that his removal was squel to him been a stumbling block to the house getting at Governor Simon Lalong, Azi said, “well, if that was the problem they didn’t say so.’’
He stated that after all it was same people that elected Lalong as Governor that elected them into the House and “so I see no reason why they may want to get at him.’’
“I don’t why anyone would want to plunge the state into any crisis; we are all trying to support the democratic system for due process to thrive for the sake of the peace of the state
“If they have anything against the Governor, why won’t they seek amicable means of relaying it to him than go after him? All we want is peace on the Plateau not rancour,” the former speaker said.