Nasarawa Assembly controversy assumes judicial dimension

A Federal High Court, Lafia, has been urged to stop Alhaji Balarabe Abdullahi (APC-Umaisha/Ugya) and Mr Jacob Kudu from parading themselves as speaker and deputy speaker of Nasarawa State House of Assembly.

The court was also urged to make “an order nullifying the purported oath of office taken on the 6th day of June, 2023,” by Abdullahi, Kudu and nine other members-elect, listed as 1st-11th defendants in the suit FHC/LF/CS/8/23, at the Conference Room of the Nasarawa State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lafia or anywhere outside the assembly’s parliamentary chambers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two different speakers had emerged on Tuesday after Gov. Abdullahi Sule’s proclamation of the Inauguration of the state’s 7th Assembly.

They are the incumbent speaker of the 5thand 6th assemblies, Alhaji Abdullahi and Mr Daniel Ogazi (APC-Kokona East).

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While Abdullahi was elected at a sitting which took place at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs by 11 out of 24 members, Ogazi was elected by 13 out of 24 members at plenary at the state’s assembly complex.

NAN also reports that the inauguration of the assembly, which was scheduled for Tuesday, by Mr Ibrahim Musa, Acting Clerk of the assembly, was however postponed citing security advice to Gov. Abdullahi Sule.

But the Daniel Ogazi-led assembly members with the House of Assembly joined as 14th plaintiff, in the originating summons dated June 7 and filed June 9 by their team of lawyers including Johnson Usman, SAN, and led by S.I. Ameh, sued Balarabe Ibrahim, Jacob Kudu, Suleiman Yakubu and Ven-Bawa Larry as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.

Others are Musa Ibrahim, Danladi Jatau, Mohammed Omadefu, Solomon Akwashiki, Hajarat Ibrahim, Musa Guide, Emmanuel Mading, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police, State Security Services (SSS), the Governor of Nasarawa State and National Assembly as 5th to 17th defendants.

They prayed the court to make “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st-11th defendants from parading themselves as the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and members of the 14th plaintiff (House of Assembly), having not taken their oath of office in the 14th plaintiff’s Parliamentary Chambers or in the 14th plaintiff.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 13th-15th defendants (I-G, commissioner of police and SSS) from intimidating, harassing, arresting or detaining the 1st-13th plaintiffs in order to prevent them from performing their functions as the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly including making laws for the Nasarawa State when they were inaugurated and sworn-in in the Chambers of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly as required by law.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 12th defendant (INEC) either by itself, agents, privies, or any of their other organs or officials (anyhow so called) from recognising the 1st-11th defendants as members of the 14th plaintiff (assembly) until they are validly or legally sworn-in.”