Bauchi Assembly passes no confidence vote on commissioner, withdraws confirmation

The Bauchi State House of Assembly has passed a vote of no confidence on the Commissioner for Education, Dr Aliyu Usman Tilde, over alleged contempt to the state’s legislature.

The assembly also withdrew its confirmation of Tilde as Commissioner for Education and member of the State Executive Council.

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The resolutions followed a point of order raised by the chairman, House Committee on Education Babayo Muhammad (Hardawa constituency), during a special plenary session yesterday.

Muhammad had informed the House how the commissioner allegedly disrespected the legislators during the budget defence of his ministry.

He said the commissioner was supposed to come at 10am on Friday to defend the budgetary allocation to his ministry but decided to come one hour late but was entertained despite keeping the lawmakers waiting.

 “While we were trying to express ourselves to him, he interfered asking who we were.

“We told him we are the legislature, another arm of government. He still kept asking who we were. Therefore, we asked him to go and when he realised we are something, he should come back for the defence. 

“We have eight days from today to end the budget defence proceedings,” Muhammad told the House.

The committee, therefore, recommended that the House should pass a vote of no confidence on the commissioner, direct the permanent secretary of the ministry to continue with the budget defence and withdraw the confirmation of Dr Aliyu Tilde as commissioner and member of the Bauchi State Executive Council.

In his contribution, Yunusa Ahmad (Warji Constituency), said the lawmakers were not against the person of Dr Tilde but his conduct during budget defence session.  

The Minority Leader, Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo (Chiroma Constituency), said the action of the commissioner was unfortunate despite the good working relationship between the Assembly and the state executive.

Bobbo pleaded with the House to consider the budget of the ministry.

The minority leader seconded that the confirmation of Dr Aliyu Tilde as commissioner be withdrawn.

The Majority Leader, Hon Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu, said it is the constitutional right of any state assembly to confirm any commissioner, to reject or withdraw the confirmation.

He added that based on what the house committee on education explained, action should be taken against the commissioner.

After the brief debate, the House members unanimously passed a vote of no confidence on the commissioner and withdrew his confirmation.

When contacted for his comment, Dr Tilde said he would respond on Tuesday.

The Special Adviser to the Bauchi State Governor on Assembly Matters, Alhaji Sani Burra, said the House has done its part and it is the prerogative of the governor to take the next decision on the commissioner.