‘Why Edo, Bauchi governors should resolve crises in their state assemblies’

Mr Mudashiru Obasa, Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria, has urged Governors of Edo and Bauchi, Godwin Obaseki and Bala Mohammed, to resolve the crises in their states’ Houses of Assembly.

Obasa, who is the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, made the call in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday.

He said that the crises that had engulfed the Houses of Assembly in both states must not be allowed to fester.

The chairman called for the reversal of the proclamations of the two Houses and the elections of the principal officers through due process of law.

According to him, illegality should not thrive on the altar of perceived personal ego and interest.

Obasa said that the body would not recognise any speaker whose emergence was through a fraudulent process or the violation of the constitution and the Business Rules of the affected House of Assembly.

While stating that the body would not condone illegality, the lawmaker admonished the governors of both states to adhere strictly to the spirit and letters of the constitution and the rules of the Houses of Assembly on the emergence of principal officers.

“No society can progress when its stakeholders are at daggers-drawn,” he said, adding that “a situation where the minority in a House of Assembly takes control of activities over the majority is condemnable.

“No lover of democracy in the country should support the charade that happened recently at both Houses of Assembly. If we must make progress, we must work in an atmosphere of peace, love and unity.

“We must also call on the two governors to reverse their actions and act in accordance with the laws backing up the legislative arms of their states,” Obasa said.

According to him, a situation where nine members will elect the principal officers in a 24-member House and inaugurate them, as it happened in Edo, was illegal.

He also condemned the election of principal officers in the Bauchi House of Assembly by 11 out of the 31 members, describing it as questionable. (NAN)