Nine out of 10 councillors in Kaura local council of Kaduna have removed the LGA chair, Mathias Siman, from office for alleged gross misconduct.

The removal was conducted through impeachment, following a motion moved by Zachariah Achi (Bandon ward) and seconded by Fidelis Kukwui (Zankang ward), who accused the chairman of misappropriation and negligence.

Mr Siman was also accused of awarding contracts to his private firm, contravening the Procurement Act, the conduct of public officials and due process.

Moving the motion at the plenary within the legislative chamber on Tuesday, Mr Achi accused Mr Siman of awarding contracts for capital and ecological projects worth N153m to his company, SMK Nigeria Limited.

Mr Achi explained that the development was a gross violation of section 48 of the Local Government Administration Law of 2018 and the Kaduna State Public Procurement Law of 2016.

He added that some of the contracts had been fully paid for with nothing on the ground to show, while others were executed far below standard and some others exorbitantly inflated.

The speaker of the legislative council, Stephen Atuk, pronounced that Mr Siman “stands impeached” on Tuesday.

He said the resolution was reached out of the collective desire of members of the legislative arm to secure the future of the local government for generations yet unborn.

Mr Atuk added that the legislature would not fold its arms watching the chairman running the council as a personal enterprise without recourse to due process.

The State House of Assembly suspended Mr Siman on July 31 following accusations of gross misconduct relating to the award of contracts.

Reacting to the development, Mr Siman denied the allegations against him and explained that the legislative council did not allow him to defend himself.

“I was not served with an impeachment notice, nor was I called to defend myself,” Mr Siman stated.

He, however, said he had accepted the decision in good faith and would move on with his life.

“These people are my brothers and I leave everything to God. I won’t go to court. We just have to be patient with one another in this life,” added Mr Siman. 

(NAN)