Following the ongoing leadership crisis rocking the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, a group on the platform of the Nasarawa Stakeholders Forum has declared a member repesenting Kokona East state constituency, Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi as the authentic Speaker.
The stakeholders Forum, however, asked the immediate past Speaker, Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi to stop parading himself as a factional Speaker.
Addressing a press conference Friday in Abuja, the convener of the forum, Comrade David Manga, said the state is witnessing a situation whereby one arm is trying to usurp the function of the legislature by imposing a leadership on the Assembly that is not just unpopular, but one that is not accepted by majority of the members of the House.
According to him, with 24 members in the House of Assembly, the elected members at the time of inaugurating the Assembly through a proclamation by the governor, 13 of the members have indicated their intention to have a new speaker in the person of hon. meember representing Kokona East State constituency, Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi.
“It is well known that democracy thrives on the principle of separation of powers which makes a distinction between where the power of each arm be it the executive; judiciary or legislature begins and where it ends.
“This is in order to pave the way for an inclusive and quality leadership that respects the views of members and one that represents the wishes and aspirations of the people of the state.
“But to our consternation, on getting wind of this legitimate and appropriate thing to do, attempts were made to seal the Assembly complex in order to disrupt proceedings and to prevent the members from carrying out their legitimate business.
“Following the disruption, a few of the members went and held a purported sitting at the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, a venue outside the jurisdiction of the state House of Assembly, coming out to claim that they have elected the immediate past Speaker of the House Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, as Speaker for the third consecutive time.
“The move however was dead on arrival as 13 members representing a majority, sat at the House of Assembly complex and elected Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi as Speaker of the Assembly.
“On seeing that their plans has failed, they have been going about with heavily armed police and Airforce personnel claiming that Nasarawa State now has two speakers.”
While declaring that Nasarawa State House of Assembly does not have two speakers but one in the person of Hon Daniel Oga Ogazi, the forum called on Balarabe-Abdullahi and others to see the handwriting on the wall and give up their claims of electing a Speaker since it never happened and lacks legitimacy to stand.
“The election of Ogazi having met the requirements for convening a sitting for members of the House is the only one that be accorded due recognition.
“Upholding the election of Ogazi is the right and proper thing to do since he was elected by majority of the members and the election held at right place, which is in the Chamber of the state Assembly.
“We enjoin Governor Abdullahi Sule to as a democrat, recognise and extend his hand of fellowship to the new speaker, Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi so the House can resume sitting in earnest and make laws for the betterment of our people.”