The Speaker of Kano State House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Rurum, Monday, resigned amidst allegations of collecting money to scuttle investigations on a traditional ruler.
Rurum resigned in a letter read at plenary by the Deputy Speaker, Ibrahim Chidariof, who presided over the sitting.
The former Speaker was alleged to have collected N100 million from a business mogul, but failed to share the money with the members. Earlier, at a briefing before the Assembly went on Sallah recess, he had denied the allegation and threatened to sue an online media group that first published the report.
The Deputy Speaker, who read the letter, said Rurum resigned to protect his image due to allegations of corruption levelled against him by some of the members.
After the letter was read and accepted, the lawmakers elected the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Alhaji Abdullahi Atta, as the new Speaker.
Atta, who represents Fagge constituency, was nominated for the position by Babangida Yakudima and Zubairu Mamuda and was unanimously accepted by the members, including Rurum, who was at the sitting.
Giving reasons for his action, the former Speaker said he stepped down to save his names over the alleged N100 million bribe from an unknown business mogul to stop probes on the traditional ruler.
He said: “I, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, decided to step down as Speaker, Kano House of Assembly to pave way for investigation into series of financial allegations against my person.”
In his resignation letter, which he read on the floor of the House, Rurum noted that “the events of few weeks revolving around financial mis-appropriation has made it important for me to resign to preserved my name, and that of my family.
“After wide consultations and the fact that my reputation and public image has been brought to disrepute, I have no options than to throw in the towel for justice to take its course.
“The first job of the Speaker is to protect the institution, which I so much valued and loved. It is my plan to serve as a Speaker to the end, but Allah destined today as the end of stewardship to protect my integrity, that of my family, friends, supporters and the cause of my constituency.
“It is my view that the pro-longed leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to this institution, and to this end I hereby step aside as Speaker to enable the House investigate the allegation.”
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