Serving and members-elect of the Sokoto State House of Assembly under the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have unanimously rejected the plan by the outgoing 8th state’s Assembly to amend the existing House standing orders.
APC won 16 of the 30 seats of the Assembly at the recently conducted election in the state and may likely occupy all the principal offices of the House after their inauguration.
The existing orders provide for the election of the Speaker and his deputy through electronic voting or raising of hand to be counted by tellers while the persons with the highest votes get elected.
“Therefore any attempt to alter the existing provisions of the House standing orders at the eleventh hour, aimed at manipulating the orders to favour certain egocentric interests of some political zealots will be resisted,” the members averred.
Addressing a press conference at the residence of the leader of the party in the state, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, the members said already a 7-member committee was set up to carry out “this obnoxious plan” which was headed by an outgoing member.
A member representing Gwadabawa South, Abdullahi Garba Sidi, who addressed the gathering said: “Out of the seven, only two members were from APC which is lopsided and most unfair even when viewed from the membership of the 8th Assembly.”
“In view of this, the two members of the committee have decided to resign from the membership of the committee with immediate effect.”
“Therefore, we, the serving and members-elect of the APC, remain committed and resolute in ensuring strict adherence to the existing House standing orders and will not be a party to its amendment. We totally oppose the decision and shall take all lawful measures to abort it,” they said.
