It is believed in Nasarawa state that the current speaker of the state assembly has stabilised the assembly despite party differences till date. MOHAMMED YANGIDA reports.
There is a general consensus of opinion in Nasarawa state especially from the Umaisha/Ugya constituency of Toto local government area where the speaker of the state assembly, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, represents that he is the most outstanding speaker the state has ever produced.
Stakeholders in the state believe that the Hon Abdullahi lived up to expectations by carrying all members along and also promoted peace among members.They said that he had also done well in ensuring cordial relationships between the executive and legislative arms in the state which not only brought peace but also progress, stability and development in the house and the state at large.
His emergence as speaker of the 5th assembly, therefore has stabilised the assembly; cleared all misgivings and cemented the frosty relationship that had existed between the executive and the legislature and even amongst the citizens of the state.
Even though the main duty of the legislature is to enact laws and pass resolutions that would have positive impacts on the lives of people, Balarabe has gone beyond that in terms of effective representation. The general assertion is that he has done a lot for his people in Umaisha/Ugya constituency.For example, he initiated women and youth’s empowerment as well as scholarship programmes for students, tagged ‘Balarabe Education Support Programme’ among other community services which had been highly effective and beneficial to the people of Toto LGA.
The gesture gave him a landslide at the polls for his return after securing his primary election victory unopposed.
Though, all the previous speakers have made immense contributions in one way or the other especially in the area of peace, unity, and development of Nasarawa state, investigation shows that none has rivalled him.
However, in recognition of his growing political clout, owing from stabilising the 5th assembly for the former governor, Umaru Al-Makura, to succeed in bringing developments to the state, his colleagues deemed it fit to return him as speaker of the 6th assembly.
This is with the belief that his ability to foster unity and consolidate on the progress of the assembly and the state as a whole has a lot to do for the state.
Speakership nomination
Shortly after the 2019 elections, Hon Abdullahi on June 10, 2019 was unanimously re-elected for a second term as speaker of the 6th assembly.The nomination came from Mohammed Okpoku of the APC (Udege/Loko constituency and was seconded by Aliyu Dogara of the APC (Wamba constituency.
Although Hon Mohammed Okpoku declared to run for the speakership against Balarabe; however, after intense horse trading, he stepped down and nominated Abdullahi as speaker of the 6th assembly and spoke very well about his leadership quality.
Okpoku explained that the nomination of Abdullahi was based on his leadership qualities and tracks records of achievements at the 5th assembly.
Commendations
Former governor of the state, Senator Umaru Al-Makura had on different occasions praised the speaker for wonderful performance and excellent cooperation.
Just recently, Senator Almakura spoke very well about the speaker, saying Nasarawa state was lucky to have a speaker like Ibrahim Balarabe who can manage his members and coordinate the activities of the house towards the development of the state.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of the state also applauded the speaker, saying that he has never seen any united state assembly in the country as obtainable in Nasarawa state where both the executive and the legislature work as one indivisible body.
Governor Sule said since 2015, Balarabe Abdullahi has been impacting positively on the people as well as changing the narrative in the grassroot politics of the state. He called on others to emulate the disposition of the speaker for the overall development of the state.
Also, the national leadership of his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) passed a vote of confidence on his leadership qualities, describing him as an asset to the party.
The then national vice chairman, North-central Suleiman Wambai, made the position of the party known during a performance assessment of the speaker in the Toto local government area.
According to him, “The leadership of the party is moved by the positive impact on the lives of rural dwellers in the state and your contribution to the growth and unity of the ruling party.”
Awards
Interestingly, students’ union in the state after a careful assessment of the state’s legislature and its leadership, awarded Speaker Abdullahi as the best performing speaker of Nasarawa state award.
He explained that the speaker was painstakingly personally participating in oversight functions to ensure that the right things are done by the executive through effective budget’s implementation, project execution and accountability.
According to the union, none of the previous speakers had ever sponsored a private bill. One of such bills which had been passed into law is the ‘A Bill for a Law to Amend the Area court law of 1968’ which now provides for the appointment of only graduates of Law to be appointed as Area Court judges in the state.
Similarly, Abdullahi also received Sir Ahmadu Bello Prestigious Merit Award as the most outstanding speaker of states assembly in Northern Nigeria from Global Alliance of Northern Nigeria Youths in Lafia.
Secretary of the Northern Youths group, Comrade Mohammed Awal Abdullahi said that they have been keenly following activities of the assembly and its leadership and after thorough assessment, the Nasarawa speaker was selected for the award due to his quality leadership style.
“It was due to your leadership quality style that we have awarded you with the Sir Ahmadu Bello Prestigious Merit award as the most outstanding speaker of state assembly in Northern Nigeria.”
The speaker however dedicated the award to his colleagues. According to him, the success he has recorded from 5th and 6th assembly was due to team work and the support he gets from them.
Assembly as the most peaceful
In addition, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisation Nigeria, Abuja also rated the state House of Assembly as one of the most peaceful and coordinated assembly in the country.
The director general of the organisation, Ambassador Sunny Elekwa, disclosed this when he led senior members of the association to present a plague to Abdullahi in Lafia.
He said that the presentation of the plague to the speaker was to congratulate him over his leadership qualities and for purposeful administration.”We are here in your office to congratulate you on your well deserved victory, success and breakthrough in your leadership qualities.
“We have been assessing your activities and achievements since your stewardship as the speaker of the 5th assembly up to date.
“We urge you to keep it up so that the people of the state would continue to enjoy the much needed dividends of democracy in the state,” he said.
The speaker therefore, thanked the coalition for the visit and assured them of his continued commitment for effective service delivery in the state.
“We will continue to give adequate attention to the welfare of our people through passing resolutions and enacting laws that would have positive impacts on the lives of our peoples,” the speaker said.
From 1999 to date
Since its existence 21 years ago, the Nasarawa state House of Assembly has produced five sets of presiding officers as Speakers.These include Hon Musa Atero Agyo of blessed memory who served between June 6, 1999 and May 29, 2003. He was from Keana constituency.Hon Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo was the 2nd speaker who served from June 6, 2003 to May 29, 2007 from Doma North constituency.This is followed by Hon Musa Ahmed Mohammed the 3rd and 4th assembly’s speaker who served from June 6, 2007 to May 29, 2015 from Nasarawa central constituency.
Then came Hon Abdullahi as the 5th and 6th assembly’s speaker, representing Umaisha/Ugya constituency serving from June 9, 2015 to May, 29 2019 and was re-elected on June 10, 2019 to date.
