Politics

Bauchi Speaker Defects To PDP

By Web News 550

Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Sulaiman, has dumped the All Progressives Congress for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state.

Sulaiman was elected as lawmaker to represent Ningi Constituency in 2019 under the APC platform.

Sulaiman who is also the Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, made his defection known during a Ramadan breaking of fast (Iftar) hosted by Governor Bala Mohammed, which held at the Government House, Bauchi late Saturday night.

The event was attended by PDP stakeholders from Ningi, Toro, Warji and Dass local Government Areas of the State.

In a short video of the event, the Speaker, in his speech at the Iftar, was heard introducing the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Hamza Akuyam, as “Chairman of our great party, the PDP”.

Suleiman went on further to say: “I know there have been speculations, people have been saying that, ‘he has decamped to the PDP,’ others said, ‘no he has not decamped’.

“But today in this place, I want to happily announce to you all that I am now a member of the PDP.”

Immediately he announced his defection, the whole gathering erupted in cheers.

According to him, my decision to join the PDP in the state was as a result of the exemplary leadership style of Governor Mohammed and his commitment to transform the state.

He also commended the governor for his ability to ensure harmonious working relationship with the State Assembly despite party differences which allowed formulation and implementation of policies and programmes aimed at ensuring the development of the state.

The speaker’s defection put to rest months of speculations across the state that despite being in the APC publicly, he was operating as a member of the PDP.

Suleiman never failed to seize any opportunity in praising the transformation drive of the governor and his administration.

The 9th Assembly in Bauchi State from inception in June 2018, had been controlled by members of the All Progressives Congress with 22 members, the PDP had eight while the New Nigeria People’s Party had one.

However, some members of the APC kept decamping to the PDP including the NNPP member.

With Suleiman’s defection, the APC currently has 16 members while the PDP has 15.

Punch/Olaolu Fawole

Politics

State Policing is important – Conference of Speakers

By Web News 626

The conference of Speakers of the State Legislature of Nigeria has frowned at the exclusion of the State Policing in the Resolution of the National Assembly in the ongoing constitution amendment.

This was contained in a communiqué issued in Ibadan, Oyo State at the end of its 2022 first quarter general meeting with the theme, “The Imperative of On-Going Alteration of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The conference, however, directed its Committee on Constitution Review to further laise with the National Assembly with a view to ensuring State Policing is reconsidered, in view of the unfortunate prevailing security challenges in the country.

It also condemned in strong terms the deadly attacks by the terrorists on the Abuja-Kaduna Train on Monday 28 March, 2022 and calls on the security agencies and the federal government to go after the terrorists while ensuring that the kidnapped passengers are rescued unhurt.

Earlier, at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Conference of Speakers and Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Mr Abubakar Suleman, said the meeting was to further look into the bills with a view to ultimately guiding participants on their roles to ractify the resolution of the National Assembly.

Mr Suleman described the ongoing legislative processes of constitution amendment as one of the viable ways of addressing many of the issues currently causing agitations in the country.

In their sperate remarks, Speaker of Kano State House of Assembly, Mr Amisu Ibrahim, his Delta State counterpart, Mr Sherif Oborevwori, and Niger State Assembly Speaker, Abdulahi Wuse said the bills on financial autonomy for local government might require more attention.

In a goodwill message, Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde who said constitutional amendment is a must for the country to move forward, admonished the speakers to take the conversation beyond the electoral act and consider issues of state police and resource control.

Earlier in a welcome address, the host, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, OYHA, Mr Adebo Ogundoyin gave assurance that the forty-four alteration bills before the state legislatures would get the desired attention.

Mosope Kehinde