The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has suspended the Chairman of Lafia Local Government, Mohammad Haliru Arabo, for three months over his role in the unlawful removal of the council’s Speaker.

The decision was taken during plenary in Lafia after a motion was raised by Musa Ibrahim Abubakar, who leads the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Lawmakers agreed that the action was needed to allow a fair investigation and calm the tension that followed the leadership dispute in the council.

The Speaker of the House, Danladi Jatau, said the suspension will stand until the committee completes its findings.

He said that the current structure of the Lafia Legislative Arm will remain unchanged throughout the investigation.

During this period, the Deputy Chairman of Lafia Local Government, Uba Arikiya, has been directed to take charge of the council.

The Speaker explained that the House acted within the powers given to it by the constitution and questioned why the Chairman ventured into matters that belong to the legislature.

The Clerk of the House has been asked to notify Governor Abdullahi Sule of the resolution.

Lawmakers such as Hajarat Danyaro Ibrahim, Mohammed Garba Isimbabi, Suleiman Yakubu Azara, and Larry Ven-Bawa backed the move, saying that the suspension would help prevent a wider crisis in the council and send a clear message to other local governments in the state.

The Owerri Zone Awareness Coalition, OZAC, has urged the Governor of Imo State Hope Uzodinma to avoid making the mistake of producing a wrong successor after his administration, to avoid moving the state backwards at a time the world is moving at breakneck speed.

OZAC gave the advice in an open letter addressed to the Governor, signed by its President, Emmanuel Okwu, and Secretary, Austin Echefu.

It stated that the letter is written at a defining moment for the state when the legacy of the Governor will no longer be limited to roads, buildings, or political victories, but the quality of leadership been midwifed by him as successor, noting that power ends but its consequences do not.

The group maintained that Who comes after Uzodinma matters a lot as it will either consolidate on his gains or dismantle them with frightening speed.

“Let it be said clearly that your administration has not been without visible effort. From road rehabilitation across key urban centres, to improved security coordination, urban renewal projects, and renewed activity in health and education infrastructure, your Government has restored a measure of structure where chaos once thrived. These are tangible footprints that history will record.

“But history will also demand an answer to a larger question: did you secure the future or mortgage it? Succession is not a gamble. It is the final and most decisive test of leadership. Any error here will erase years of effort in a single reckless political transaction.”the letter read.

OZAC stated that it aligns firmly with the legitimate aspiration of Owerri Zone to produce the next Governor of the state, pointing out that equity, balance, and fairness justify the demand.

It, however, made it clear that zoning is not a substitute for competence, maintaining that the zone must not be reduced to a shelter for mediocrity simply because it is its turn.

“This is no longer the era of political experimentation. Imo is too exposed, too educated, and too globally connected to be handed over to political rookies, social media warriors, or gatecrashers who stumbled into relevance without depth, experience or capacity “the group added.