The Women Coalition for Sustainable Peace and Viable Democratic Gains in Bauchi State has explained that the National Assembly has no valid reason to take over the State House Assembly as it is in the 1999 constitution as their actions may put the state under siege.
Leader of the group, Hajiya Addaji Mohammed, stated this when she addressed a press conference in Bauchi over the weekend.
She said the group was surprised with the action of the federal House of representatives when they ignored laws of the land as it is in the 1999 constitution.
She advised that Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed should not succumb to pressure and withdraw the proclamations earlier given to the House going by the constitution.
“Section 11 sub section 4 of the 1999 constitution stated that, at any time when House of Assembly of a state is not able to perform its functions by reason of the situation prevailing in the state, the National Assembly may make such laws for the peace, order and good government of that state, with respect to matters on which the State House of Assembly may make laws as may appear to the National Assembly as to be necessary or expedient, until such time as the House of assembly is able to resume its functions, and any such laws enacted by the National Assembly pursuant to this section shall have effect as if they were laws enacted by the State House of assembly of the state provided that nothing in this section shall be construed as conferring on the National Assembly power to remove the Governor or the Deputy Governor of a State from office. Sub Section (5) says for the purposes of sub section (4) of this section, a House of assembly shall not be deemed to be unable to perform its functions so long as the House of Assembly can hold a meeting and transact business.”
Leader of the group said “chapter 5 ; Part 2; section 96 sub section 1 and 2 stated that “The Quorum shall be one third of all the members of the House If objection is taken by any member of the House of Assembly present, that are present in that House besides the person presiding fewer than one third of all the members of that House, and that is not competent to the House to transact business and after such interval as may be prescribed in the rules of procedure of the House, the person presiding ascertain that the number of the members present is still less than one third of all the members of the House he should adjourn the House, going by this any fair minded person even if he is not a lawyer he should know that going by what the constitution said the National Assembly has no reason to take over the Bauchi State Assembly”.
Addaji added, “There is no any prevailing situation in the state, the state is peaceful, the House continues with its businesses as it is in the constitution and according to the standing orders of the House, they approved for the appointments of 10 special advisers and some laudable projects initiated by the governor, the members that are not attending the house sitting are only the members elect that refused to go to the House to take the oath of office according to the laws, We are still appealing to the remaining 18 members not to allow themselves to be used by the former Governor of Bauchi State Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar and the former Speaker Kawuwa Shehu Damina to use them against the best interest of the state.”
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