The House of Representatives has urged Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi State to issue a fresh proclamation for the inauguration of Bauchi state House of Assembly or risk taking over by the federal parliament.
The Governor, according to a report by the adhoc committee that investigated the matter has one month to investigate to the House.
Chairman of the committee, Musa Sarki Adar stated that the committee visited the state and held a public hearing.
He noted that the governor of the state “issued a proclamation for inaguration of the House on the 17th of Junes, but issued another on the 20th of June.”
Adar added that video footage from Channels TV showed that “the group made up of 13 lawmakers assembled on the 7am on the inauguration date and conducted elections into the principal offices, while the other group came around 8am after they discovered that they have done that, they assembled in front of the mace statue in from of the Assembly building and conducted their own election.”
He noted that the Governor and his predecessor MA Abubakar were struggling for the control of the Assembly. Also that his committee wanted to intervene between the two gladiators, he said that the committee refrained from such because the house only gave the committee the mandate to investigate.
The committee recommendation are as follow: “Condemn the unfortunate incidents that led to the purported elections of two different Members-Elect as Speakers of the 9th Bauchi State House of Assembly, either by the group of 11 Members-Elect , or the group of 18 Members-Elect without following due process and proper legislative practice.
“Urge the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, in the interest and well-being of the people of Bauchi State, to withdraw the letters of Proclamation of 17 June, 2019 and 20 June, 2019; and reissue a new Proclamation Letter for Holding of the First Session of the 9th Bauchi State House of Assembly, which will be publicized in National Dailies and Broadcast Media, with specific Date, Time and Venue for the inauguration.
“Notify the Bauchi State Government that failure to comply with Prayer (ii) above, within a period of one month, the House of Representatives shall invoke the provisions of Section 11 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“Transmit this Resolution to the Senate for concurrence.”
The minority leader of the House, Ndudi Elumelu appealed to the House to excise patience because the matter is in court.
The chairman of the committee, Ahmed Wase stated that the house is working inline with the provision of the constitution.
During the adoption of the report, the minority leader again stated that he is seconding the motion “against his will.”
“Majority will have their way, but minority will have their say.”
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