Abok Ayuba: EFCC petition that nailed impeached Plateau Speaker

Abok Nuhu Ayuba, Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, was impeached on Thursday.

Ayuba was replaced with Sanda Yakubu of Pingana Constituency of Bassa Local Government Area.

Out of the 24 members of the House, 16 voted for the impeachment at plenary.

In 2019, Ayuba, then a 33-year-old Law student of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), emerged as Plateau Speaker.

During his removal, the legislature made reference to a petition before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

On Wednesday, the Youths Rights Against Corruption (YRAC) announced it demanded a probe of the lawmaker.

The petition signed by the Director, Abednego Musa, said Ayuba engaged in abuse of office and financial misappropriation

Ayuba was accused of using fictitious companies as fronts for the supply of 50 trucks of fertilizer and fleecing of N375million public funds.

“Purchase of a bullet-proof car at a market value of less than N100million and the inflation of its price to N300million. Apart from being inflated by a whopping 200%, the purchase of the vehicle was done in a questionable manner contrary to procurement acts.

“Payment of humongous allowances of N150million as Basic Travelling Allowances (BTA) for members of the Assembly with neither prior discussion with members nor official approval by the House.

“Compromise of operational procedures, creation of an extra-legal hierarchy and privileging cronies at the expense of the system. This is by far the greatest calamity to befall the Lagos House of Assembly to Plateau State House of Assembly under Abok’s watch.

“Collected N500million laundered funds through a suspended Chairman of APC to recruit innocent House members destabilise the State and make the state ungovernable through induced crisis,” it read.

The petition said it would amount to a breach of public trust if the allegations against the Plateau Speaker are not investigated.