Angry youths in Nasarawa State have staged a protest over the suspension of inauguration of the 7th Nasarawa State House Assembly by Governor Abdullahi Sule, following alleged security threat in the state.
Recall that the 6th Assembly had officially wound up after its valedictory session last week wednesday.
Daily Trust, who visited the Assembly premises around 5:00am on Tuesday, observed that security operatives comprising men of the Nigeria Army, the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security Service (DSS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were stationed at strategic areas to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
Our correspondent also observed that the road linking to Shendam was barricaded halfway by the security agencies to allow travellers plyling the road to carry their various business activities and prevent the protesting youth from gaining entrance into the Assembly premises.
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It was further learnt that as early as 3:30am the immediate past Speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi alongside some of the members-elect suspected to be his loyalists drove in to the Assembly ground to reelect him, but hurriedly left for fear of being attacked.
The protesting youths said they wanted a lawmaker, Daniel Ogazi, as Speaker, adding that “enough is enough for imposition of unpopular candidate against the people’s choice.”
Our correspondent reports that the immediate past Speaker, Balarabe-Abdullahi, Ogazi representing Kokona East and Danladi Jatau, representing Kokona West have indicated interest to run for the speakership in the 7th Assembly.
The trio belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and will have to fight for votes of members-elect from their party as well as those in the opposition.
APC has 11 seats against PDP’s eight, while other minority parties such as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have three and two respectively.
Meanwhile, in a statement on Tuesday obtained by Daily Trus, the acting Clerk, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Musa, said that the inauguration of the 7th Assembly had been postponed indefinitely over security threat.
The statement added, “I wish to inform all members-elect and the general public that based on security advice the scheduled inauguration of the first session of the 7th Assembly as directed by His Excellency the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State Engr. Abdullahi Sule is hereby postponed.
“In view of the above, a rescheduled time will be communicated to all Hon. Members-elect and the general public. We regret any inconveniences this postponement may have caused.”
