The leadership crisis rocking the Nasarawa Assembly Wednesday deepens as the 13 factional members during plenary passed a resolution suspending the 10 other factional members.
The. Daniel Ogah Ogazi camp said during the plenary that the suspension of the immediate past speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi's group was sequel to a motion of public importance moved by the member representing Obi II constituency, Hon Luka Iliya Zhekaba and seconded by Hon Ibrahim Aliyu Nana, Keffi West constituency.
Moving the motion on the matter, Hon Zhekaba averred while moving the motion that the absence of the 10 members from Tuesday proceeding amounted to deserting their legislative duty as such the affected persons be treated as deserters.
According to Zhekaba, the 13 members who are majority in the house the affected members should also be dully punished for 'convening a kangaroo and illegal meeting and the purported election of a speaker and a deputy speaker respectfully.
He said the suspension is to serve as a deterrent to others whom they described as 'trouble makers".
He therefore urged the House to forthwith, suspend the affected persons and bar them from entering the premises of the State Assembly till further notice.
Also contributing, Hon. Nana re-echoed the position of Hon Zhekaba and urged the House to take a decisive decision to compel the immediate past speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe from parading himself as the speaker of the State Assembly.
On his part, the presiding Speaker, Daniel Ogah Ogazi put the matter to voice votes where all members present supported the position of the members present at the plenary.
Also speaking a member representing Nasarawa Eggon constituency then moved for the adjournment of the Wednesday proceedings
It would be recalled that the two camps of the 10 members led by Rt Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi and Hon Daniel Ogah Ogazi are laying claims to the leadership of the assembly by electing Balarabe and Ogazi as speakers.
Speaking to journalists after the sitting, Hon Ogazi explained that all actions coming after a proclamation by Governor Abdullahi Sule and all other proceedings must take place in the hallow chamber of the Assembly, adding that any thing done outside the house was illegal, null and void.
He noted that the action of the members was contrary to section 105 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended
"This morning, based on motion of public importance moved by the member representing Obi II, Hon Luka Iliya Zhekaba and seconded by Aliyu Nana representing Keffi West, members are satisfied that these 10 members erred, because what they did was contrary to section 105 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended"
"Members elect are still members elect, the House barred them from entering this premises and suspended them forthwith.
"Also, they should be prevented from parading themselves as speaker, deputy speaker and members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly. And that members of the public should not recognize them as Honourable members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly until they availed themselves before the hallow chamber to be properly inaugurated and actively participate in the activities and procedures"
"Today, they stand bared, they stand suspended. If they are ready to come before us we will welcome them," Ogazi declared.
He called on Governor Sule to desist from encouraging illegality by recognizing the Balarabe led camp even as he promised that the House under his leadership will support and cooperate with the governor to move the state to greater height.
However, a member from Balarabe's camp has described the position of the Ogazi's group as a joke taking too far.
He said the Ogazi camp has no locus standi to take a decision on matters that affect the House, describing the action by the Ogah Ogazi as unholy and illegal.
He called on the security operatives to arrest the Ogazi group as they were constituting a "nuisance to legislative community and the state as a whole."
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