- Only 12 Out of 26 APC House Members Secured Party's Return Ticket At The Primary Through Gov Bago's Consensus Deal
By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Sitting by the Niger State House of Assembly (NSHA) on Tuesday came to an abrupt end while all activities therein have been indefinitely suspended over what the legislators termed, "unresolved issues" with the executive arm.
The House had resumed its normal sitting on Tuesday but proceedings were halted when the member representing Chanchaga constituency, Hon. Mohammed Abubakar Kabir Ustaz raised a motion requesting that the House step down further deliberations until all "unresolved issues" with the executive are addressed accordingly.
Kabir Ustaz told the House that prosperity will judge them if the legislature continue to allow pending issues with the executive are swept under the carpet, thereby sending wrong signals to up coming legislators who may also tow same path if some anormalies are not corrected or even interprete some wrongs they fail to correct as betraying the reputations built by their predecessors.
Although he was not allowed to open up on the, "unsolved issues" on the floor of the House, the members quickly resolved that the matter be discussed at the executive sessions, and his motion was seconded by member representing Borgu constituency, Hon. Abdulrahman Gambo.
The member representing Lavun constituency, Jibrin Ndagi Baba on his part had different viewpoints as he counter the motion, insisting that there was no point standing down proceedings since the House had already reconvened for the day's business.
Arguments for or against quickly degenerated into rowdy session with the majority of the members insisting that the House cannot sit until all pending issues with the executive are resolved accordingly.
As tempers began to quickly rise and with the ensuing confusion, the Speaker Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkindaji stepped in to calm the situation by pleading with members to exercise level of maturity in handling the matter and to respect each other's opinion.
Despite his intervention the arguments continued until backed down by advising that the motion for and against the suspension of plenary be put into vote, and at the end, those in support of yes, that plenary be suspended indefinitely outnumbered the nays.
The House thereafter agreed that legislative businesses be suspend and members to retire to executive session where all the "unresolved issues" will be discussed and make its position known to the executive.
Though no information about the bone of contention in the face-off was made public, but findings by our correspondent revealed that the crisis may not be unconnected with the recently conducted primaries by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
Many of the members are said not to be happy with Governor Mohammed Umar Bago whom it was alleged spear-headed the controversial APC elections primaries which denied majority of them the opportunity to re-contest.
Out of the 26 APC member House of Assembly, only 12 secured the party's return ticket through the Governor's championed consensus arrangements. NNL.
