Members
of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly engaged in a free-for-all on Monday
over the appointment of sole administrators for 11 local government councils by
Governor Tanko Al-Makura.
The
free-for-all occurred on the floor of the legislature barely two hours after
the governor inaugurated the 11 sole administrators.
Glasses
were shattered while tables and chairs were upturned in the violence that
engulfed the House.
A
faction that described the governor’s action as illegal was opposed by another
faction that supported the action of the governor.
Some
legislators sustained injuries during the violence while some had their clothes
torn.
Briefing
newsmen at the legislative complex, a member, House Committee on Information,
Mr. Makpa Malla, said that seats and tables were broken during the fight.
Describing
the appointment by the governor as illegal, Malla said the Assembly could not
continue to watch the governor perpetrate illegalities in the state.
He
said, “As you can see, this is the executive room of the state House of
Assembly, where we sit down every morning to discuss matters which would bring
development to the state and the country at large.
“Categorically,
I want to state here that the division which caused this chaos was as result of
the appointment of the sole administrators by the governor. As a responsible
legislature with some of us as lawyers, we insisted that the right thing must
be done.
“The
Section 7 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – as amended – guarantees a
democratic system of governance at the local government level. The provision of
the constitution is explicit on how the local government structure should be
run.
“That
is why we are kicking against the appointment of the sole administrators. Sole
administrators only existed during the military era and as respecters of the
rule of law, we must ensure that the executive must also respect the rule of
law.”
Malla,
however, urged the people of the state to remain calm and be law-abiding as the
law would take its course in the matter.
Also
speaking during the press conference, Mr. Abubakar Kana, an All Progressives
Congress member representing Kokona-West, said there was no provision for the
position of sole administrator in the laws of Nasarawa State.
He
said this was the reason why the lawmakers kicked against the action of Al-Makura.
He
said, “Where would the sole administrators derive their powers from? Who
determines the tenure and salaries of the sole administrators? Sole
administrators are not known to Nigerian and Nasarawa laws.
“If
the sole administrators commit any offence, under what law would they be
tried?”
Reacting,
the Deputy Speaker, Godiya Akwashiki, who is a Peoples Democratic Party member
representing Nasarawa-West, condemned the action of those who opposed the
governor’s action.
He
said the 24-member House would not be cowed by a few members who had gone on a
campaign of calumny against the state.
Akwashiki
said, “They accused some of us of receiving N50m bribe each from the governor.
I want them to come out with proof. They should show the world the video to
back up their allegations.
“Although
there is the principle of separation of powers, we still meet with the governor
when necessary. The meeting could be on his request or on our request.
“Last
week Friday, the Speaker of the House wrote a letter to the governor,
requesting that the House wanted to see him. The governor granted our demand by
honouring our invitation. The governor invited all of us but only 17 of us
attended the meeting in Abuja while others stayed back.”
Akwashiki
said the false allegation of bribery was one of the reasons why a few members
of the legislature opposed the action of the governor.
The
deputy speaker said the lawmakers met with the governor over a court judgment
which ordered that the tenure of the 11 council chairmen must not exceed two
years.
He
said the governor had to inaugurate the 11 sole administrators because of the
security situation in the state, adding that on account of this, it would be
wrong to fault the governor’s decision.
“We
cannot afford to leave the councils without heads. The tenure of the former
local government chairmen expired on March 24, 2016,” he said.
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