Governor Abdulaziz Yari

Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, Speaker, Zamfara State Assembly, says legislators have withdrawn the impeachment threat against Gov. Abdulaziz Yari.

Rikiji made the announcement on Sunday in Gusau after a meeting of stakeholders.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders included the governor, all the 24 members of the Assembly and traditional rulers.

The traditional rulers were led by Alhaji Attahiru Muhammad the emir of Anka who is also the chairman of the state Council of Chiefs.

The speaker told newsmen at the end of the meeting that the lawmakers gave the governor terms and conditions before they agreed to suspend the impeachment threat.

He said that the intervention of traditional rulers and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, helped in addressing the issues that caused the face-off between them and the governor.

In a separate interview with newsmen, Gov. Yari described the cause of the face-off between him and the legislature as “the handiwork of the devil.”

“The cause of the misunderstanding was addressed at the meeting and we have now agreed to put aside our differences and work together for the advancement of our state,” he said.

NAN reports that the legislators had threatened to impeach the governor for alleged abuse of budget implementation, misappropriation of bailout funds released to the state by the federal government.

Others reasons listed by the legislators included deductions in workers’ salaries and failure by Yari to pay the salaries of 1, 400 youths employed by the government two years ago. (NAN)
ABA/DS/AEA