By: Adelowo Oladipo Minna
The Niger State House of Assembly has suspended its sitting abruptly following what the members described as “unresolved issues” with the Executive Arm of the government.
Shortly after the House began sitting on Tuesday, the member representing Chanchaga Constituency, Mohammed Abubakar Kabir Ustaz raised a motion requesting the House to step down proceeding until all “unresolved issues” with the Executive arm are addressed accordingly.
Abubakar Kabir Ustaz told the House that posterity will judge them if the house continue to allow pending issues with the executive arm be swept under the carpet, adding that they must stop sending wrong signal to up coming legislators, seeing to be betraying the reputations built by their predecessors.
Although he was not allowed to roll out the “unsolved issues” on the floor of the House as it was resolved that the matter be discussed at the executive session, his motion was seconded by member representing Borgu constituency, Abdulrahman Gambo.
On his part, the member representing Lavun constituency, Jibrin Ndagi Baba had a different view as he countered the motion, insisting that there was no point standing down proceeding since the house had already reconvened for the day’s business.
The arguments for and against the motion quickly degenerated into a rowdy session with the majority of the members insisting that the house cannot sit.
Consequently, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Abdulmalik Sarkin Daji, stepped into the matter to calm the situation and pleaded with the members that they should exercise some maturity in handling the matter and show respect for each other’s opinion.
After the heated arguments, the Speaker advised that the motion for and against the suspension of plenary be put into vote, and at the end, those in support of the suspension of plenary carried the day.
It was thereby agreed that the House suspend plenary and retire to the Executive session where all the “unresolved issues” will be discussed and make it’s position known to the executive arm of government.
It could be recalled that after the just concluded party primaries, only 12 out of the 26 APC members of the House secured the party ticket through the controversial consensus arrangements.
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