Kaduna LG boss impeached over alleged gross misconduct

Nine out of 10 councillors in Kaura Local Council of Kaduna State have removed the council Chairman, Mr Mathias Siman, from office for alleged gross misconduct.

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

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

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

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

He added that some of the contracts had been fully paid for with nothing on 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 Mathias stands impeached as of Tuesday 31st October, 2023”.

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.

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

Siman was suspended by the State House of Assembly on July 31, following accusations of gross misconduct relating to the award of contracts.

Reacting to the development, Siman denied the allegations against him and explained that the legislative council never gave him the opportunity to defend himself.

“I was not served with an impeachment notice, neither was I called to defend my self,” he stated

He, however, said he had accepted the decision in good fate 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,” he added.