Impeached Shira Deputy Chair Urges Court To Stop LG By-election, Demands Reinstatement

From Paul Orude Bauchi

The impeached deputy chairman of Shira Local Government Council in Bauchi State, Hon. Adamu Usman Bamaraya, has filed a lawsuit at the Bauchi State High Court demanding for his reinstatement to office

The plaintiff said that his removal was contained in facebook publication document tittled, “Resolution to remove the Chairman of Shira Local Government Council (Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Beli) and Deputy Chairman (Hon. Adamu Usman) from office, signed by councillor, Andubun Ward, Hon. Abdullahi Wada.

The purportedly removed deputy chairman, Hon. Adamu Usman Bamaraya told journalists in Bauchi at the weekend that he was never summoned to appear before any investigation panel, committee or tribunal, nor was he given any opportunity to defend himself against any allegation as required by Section 20 (7) of the Local Government Law and section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.

Bamaraya explained that he only heard about the removal of Shira Local Government Council ex-Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Beli for reason not best known to him, when he was as a result also asked to resign from office by the Shira Local Government stakeholders.

He explained however that he thwarted the efforts of the stakeholders who want force him resign from his seat, and as a result of his refusal to resign, the stakeholders through the Shira Divisional Police Officer (DPO) arrested him and took him to a Correctional Centre where he spent seven without trial before he was bailed out.

To his surprise, he later learned that a by-election had been scheduled for May 24, 2025, to fill both the chairman and deputy chairman positions.

In response, Bamaraya filed a legal suit seeking an immediate halt to the planned by-elections by the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC), his reinstatement as Deputy Chairman of Shira LGA, and the punish of the individual arrested and imprisoned him for over one week for refusing to sign a resignation letter, among other demands.

The defendants listed in the suit include the Shira Local Government Council, the Bauchi State House of Assembly, the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC), and all councillors representing Shira LGA.

Recalled that on March 3, 2025, the Legislative Council of Shira Local Government removed both the Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Beli, and his Deputy, Hon. Usman Adamu, citing allegations of gross misconduct, financial mismanagement, dereliction of duty, and abuse of office.

In line with this, Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) has scheduled by-elections for May 24, 2025, to fill the vacancies.

The Chairman of BASIEC, Ahmed Makama, stated that the commission received official communication declaring the vacancies, triggering its legal obligation to hold elections within 14 days.

“We received correspondence informing us that a vacancy exists in the offices of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman in Shira Local Government. As a commission, we are duty-bound to conduct an election to fill those vacancies,” Makama said.

He noted that the Bauchi State Electoral Law (2008) mandates that by-elections must be held within 14 days once a vacancy is officially declared.