Reps intervene to reconcile Bauchi Assembly members

The House of Representatives committee set up to reconcile aggrieved members of the Bauchi House of Assembly has begun meeting with critical stakeholders in the state.

The 12-man panel, headed by Musa Sarkin Adar, yesterday disclosed that the lower legislative chamber mandated it to review the event (s) that culminated in the emergence of ‘two speakers’ and subsequent closure of the House for about a month.

Thirteen of the 31-member Assembly had on June 20 elected Abubakar Suleiman (APC: Ningi constituency) while the rest 18 loyalists of the immediate past speaker Damina Kawuwa returned him at a parallel election held outside the chamber.

The panelists, while paying a courtesy visit to Governor Bala Mohammed in the capital, said they were in the state to gather information with a view to resolving the impasse amicably.

Adar said: “We are from different geopolitical zones, party lines and tribes. We promise to do justice to the issues of the parliament. Our concern is to make peace and consequently, set the state on the path of progress.

“With these, we want all aggrieved members or any parties to register their displeasure between today (yesterday) and Wednesday (tomorrow).”

Reacting, the governor said “as a parliamentarian, we are ashamed of the situation in the state, though politics is dynamic – some of the democratisation comes with a crisis – by this, we must always be loyal to the will of the people. We respect the autonomy of the parliament.”

He went on: “What happened in Bauchi is very regrettable but we are not going to preempt what you have come here for but give you all the support that is required. As far as we are concerned, there is only one House in Bauchi.

“The election has been conducted and I was the one who signed the proclamation and the election was held with the symbol of authority in the house not outside and within the timeline. Of course, some people were excluded, it is very sad for people who are representing different constituencies to be excluded from discharging their parliamentary duties.

“We appreciate your coming. Definitely, some people have been expecting your arrival. My self and deputy are parliamentarians. We have been to the Senate and we are today at the helms of affairs of Bauchi.”