Councilors impeach Council chairman over gross misconduct in Plateau

The chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council in Plateau State, Hon. Bitrus Zulfa Rimven, has been impeached by the Legislative Arm of the Council over alleged corruption.

It was gathered that the impeachment was consequent upon a notice of acts of gross misconduct labelled against the erstwhile chairman, which was communicated to him by the Legislative Council a fortnight ago.

The impeachment sitting which was presided over by the Leader of the Council and Councilor representing Pishe–Yashi Ward, Hon. Maina Nanzing, on Tuesday, voted to oust the chairman.

Shortly after a roll call by the leader of the house, the Councilor representing Jat Ward, Hon. Dashe Yarnap, moved a motion for the impeachment of the Council Chairman, Bitrus Rimven Zulfa, and was seconded by the Deputy Leader and Councilor representing Pajat Ward, Hon. Dindam Longbap Wuyep, after which the leader of the Council, Hon Nanzing Maina, moved for the swearing in of the deputy chairperson of the local government council, Hon. Nancy Philemon Paul, as the substantive chairperson of the council with immediate effect.

According to the Deputy Leader, the impeached chairman, who was served with an impeachment notice on August 31, 2022 failed to respond to the allegations levelled against him, hence he failed to clear himself of the allegations.

The allegations against the former chairman included siphoning of over N300m from the local government coffers, using a staff of the local government, by name Samuel Malo Magit to perpetrate the alleged crime.

Other allegations labelled against Zulfa included his failure to constitute the executive arm of the council, whereby, he had been running the affairs of the council as a one-man show, in clear contrast to the provisions of Section 34 (c)of Plateau State Local Government Council Law 2016.

According to members of the Legislative Arm, there was a meeting held in Government House, Jos at the instance of some government officials, among which were Secretary to the Government of Plateau State, Professor Danladi Attu, State Head of Service, Sunday Hyat, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sylvanus Tapgun, Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Brain Dadi, Chief of Staff, Government House, Noel Donjur, critical stakeholders as well as the impeached chairman of Langtang North with the 18 Councilors of the area.

The aim of the meeting with the critical stakeholders of the party was to intervene in the lingering crisis between the council chairman and the Councilors, unfortunately the sitting ended in a deadlock.

However, the impeached chairman, Barr. Bitrus Zulfa Rimven, said he would have replied the letter sent to him, but he did not want to expose the complicity of the State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for some reasons.

During the day’s sitting, 14 out of 1i councilors appended their signatures to endorse the impeachment process.

(credit: Leadership Newspapers)