By Segun Adeosun
Just like Wednesday, April 18, 2018, when some hoodlums stormed the Senate and took away the authority of the upper legislative house, the mace, all hell was also let loose in Gombe State House of Assembly, this Thursday, as a member snatched the instrument in an attempt to stall the impeachment of the Minority Leader, Ahmed Usman Haruna.
The member, who vehemently opposed the impeachment, escaped with the mace in the melee that ensued. And unlike the Senate episode, in which the mace was later found under a bridge in Abuja, the police in Gombe were still searching for the symbol of authority of the House as at the time of filing this report.
The mace-snatching member reportedly overpowered the Sergeant-at-arms of the House who tried to stop him, and made away with the instrument. Although policemen in the House of Assembly reportedly made spirited efforts to stop the member, firing sporadically, the man sped off in a car. Neither the car nor the mace has been found.
Upper week, another impeachment process was stalled in Kano State House of Assembly. On Monday, May 14, the police had to seal off the Kano State House of Assembly to prevent the impeachment of the Speaker, Abdullahi Yusuf Ata, by some members.
Before the police action, 21 members of the House had appended their signatures to commence the process. The matter was, however, resolved at the intervention of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
As the nation moves towards the 2019 general elections, it remains to be seen how many more impeachment drama would unfold.