Security agents on Thursday fired tear gas to disperse 20 lawmakers elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, during the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker at the premises of the Bauchi state House of Assembly’s complex.
The twenty lawmakers who rejected the emergence of Abubakar Suleiman Ningi as Speaker of the 9th Assembly, decided to conduct their own inauguration and elected Kawuwa Shehu Damina as Speaker and Tukur Ahmed, the member representing Toro constituency as Deputy Speaker.
However, the session was disrupted as security agents fired tear gas and dispersed the lawmakers.
The members claimed that they conducted the separate election because they were told that the inauguration of the House would be conducted at 8:00am but to their surprise, 11 lawmakers allegedly loyal to the governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed elected Ningi in the early hours of the day.
Abubakar Suleiman Ningi was elected by 11 out of the 31 members of Assembly.
By law, the House needs 11 members to form a quorum.
The members who elected Ningi as Speaker reportedly arrived the Assembly Complex as early as 6:00am while the 20 other members supporting Damina were absent.
The 11 lawmakers elected Ningi as Speaker and Ahmed Kawule, the member representing Zungur Galambi constituency as Deputy Speaker.
Ningi was nominated by Babayo Muhammad, member representing Hardawa constituency and Jamilu Umar Dahiru, the only NNPP member who is representing Bauchi Central constituency.
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They were seconded by Bakoji Aliyu Bobo, the member representing Chiroma constituency.
Ahmed Kawule was nominated by Babayo Muhammad, and seconded by member representing Lere Bula, Muhammad Lumo.
APC has 22 out of the 31 Assembly members; PDP has eight while NNPP has one member .
The inauguration of the Assembly, which was earlier scheduled for Monday, June 17, was postponed to today following alleged clash of interest between Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed and his predecessor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar on the choice of speaker.
Governor Mohammed is said to be supporting Abubakar Suleiman Ningi, while ex-governor Abubakar is backing the immediate past speaker of the 8th assembly, Kawuwa Shehu Damina.
