The Northern regional minister Salifu Saeed has confirmed receiving a petition from more than a One-third of the Sagnarigu District assembly seeking a vote of no confidence against the District Chief Executive, Mariama Iddirisu, following an impasse between her and the staff of the assembly.
According to a petition written and signed by 19 out of 33 members of the assembly and intercepted by Starr News, the members are calling for the impeachment of the District Chief Executive in pursuant of the section 243, clause 3 of the 1992 constitution and the section 20, clause 4(a) of the Local Government Act 936 of 2016.
According to the document, the action of the assembly members was precipitated by a number of concerns including “actions, administrative conduct and personal deportment” of the DCE which they deemed possessed “great menace to the development and progress of the district”.
Among other allegations, the assembly members accused Mariam of gross arrogance in the district, and lack of coordination between her and management of the assembly. They also claimed she has hijacked a special vehicle for monitoring RING projects, and undermining some arms of the Assembly.
Starr News also intercepted another document from the Presiding Member of the assembly, Mohammed Awal acknowledging receipt and informing her to respond to the accusations before Tuesday, August 8, 2017 on which a formal motion will be filed for the impeachment process to commence.
The Northern regional Minister told Starr News the petition had been received, adding it was being worked on. He declined further comments when pushed for elaboration.
“Yes, I have received it and we are working on it”, Mr. Salifu responded.
The embattled Chief Executive is yet to respond to efforts by Starr News for comments on the issue. Sources close to the petitioners said strenuous efforts are currently being made by several authorities including traditional rulers to get the aggrieved assembly members back down and drop the charges.
Mariam Iddrisu, 32, was the first DCE out of the 26 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region to have been confirmed on Monday, May 8, 2017 despite earlier protest against her appointment.
She is three months in office and if impeached, would be the first in the region to be removed from office.
