The speaker of Western Bahr el Ghazal legislative assembly Andrea Mayar has accused Governor Rizig Zachariah Hassan of planning to oust him from office.

In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, Mayar said the governor has been working hard to remove him from his position since last year. However, the speaker denied any personal differences between them.

Mayar also accused the governor of interfering with the affairs of the state assembly and squandering state money in bribes for a group of lawmakers to impeach him.

“The governor is collecting signatures of members by using money or threats in the neighborhoods so that I am removed,” he said.

He pointed out that the governor previously divided the SPLM party into two factions in the state, prompting intervention by SPLM chairman Salva Kiir.

Abraham Dimo, an MP, had presented a motion to the assembly demanding the removal of the speaker. But the speaker said the procedures for impeachment were illegal and that they should be supported by evidence during an ordinary session of the assembly. 

In September last year, Western Bahr el Ghazal legislative assembly handed a petition to President Salva Kiir against Governor Rizig Zachariah Hassan for alleged abuse of power.

Speaker Mayar raised a series of complaints to the president related to alleged violations by Rizig.

File photo: Governor Rizig Hassan Zacharia (Gurtong)