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The Secretariat of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), located in Area 10, Garki, was thrown into confusion on Thursday after the councillors said they had suspended Council Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, for two weeks.
Despite the suspension, Mr Adamu, was still performing his official duties.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that confusion enveloped the area immediately after the legislators announced the decision, with workers and other people running helter-skelter following sounds of gunshots.
Some motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles as everyone on sight scurried to safety.
The legislative arm of the council took the decision after deliberating on a petition submitted by a civil society organisation on January 21.
NAN also reports that the decision was taken after the chairman and the petitioners appeared before the chambers for questioning.
The civil society organisation – the Civil Society for Human Rights and Rehabilitation – had alleged that the chairman had formed a habit of giving contracts to members of his family.
The petitioners also accused him of “shady financial deals and abuse of office.”
NAN reports that further legislative proceedings could not continue as the Mace was forcefully seized from the chambers by some unknown persons that invaded the arena.
Meanwhile, the suspended chairman has said he was ready for investigation over allegations of misappropriation of funds levelled against him.
He spoke at a town hall meeting with stakeholders organised to discuss issues relating to internally generated revenue and other matters facing residents of the council.
“It is important for the residents and people of the council to be kept abreast of the happenings in the council.
“It is also important for the people to be carried along; leaders must be accountable.”
On the petition written against him, the chairman said that it was “politically motivated.”
“I am not deterred by my accusers. I want to tell you categorically that this issue is politically motivated and I am ready to stand before any institution for questioning.
“The issues raised by the petitioner does not have the facts; they are simply fabricated and they contain a lot of inaccuracies,” he said.
Mr Adamu, however, called on the residents of the council to come to his office with any questions pertaining to his administration, “because I operate an open door policy.”
He also called on media organisations to put the interest of the people above every consideration, and be committed to telling them the truth “at all times.”
