The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Adamu Usman, has been impeached by 18 of 27 members, while Isa Kawu has been elected as the new Speaker.

There was mild drama earlier in the day when the gate of the assembly complex was locked by the police, preventing lawmakers from going in or out, a move aimed at preventing members from going ahead with their move to impeach the state governor, Babangida Aliyu, and the Speaker.

With some of their colleagues stranded outside, the members inside went out and demanded that the police to open the gate. When the security men did not answer them, the lawmakers broke the locks to allow those outside to go in.

Aliyu is accused of withholding statutory allocation to the assembly for months, payment of half salaries since February, non-implementation of resolutions passed by the House, among other crimes.

Usman, a strong supporter of the governor, who was accused of neglecting staff and members’ welfare, had tried to prevent the House from going ahead with its move to impeach the governor.