A crisis ensued at Bauchi State House of Assembly when two speakers emerged after the inauguration of the 9th Assembly on Thursday.
A mild drama on Thursday unfolded at the Bauchi state House of Assembly when 11 members of the 31 member Assembly gathered and elected Suleiman Abubakar Dangaldiman Ningi of the All Progressive Congress (APC) speaker.
THISDAY reports that those who elected the new speaker included the 9 members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one member of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The members who began their session at about 6.00 AM outsmarted 20 other members of the opposition APC who constitute the majority.
Based on the House rules and standing order, the House only needed 11 members to form a quorum and take a decision on any matter.
The 11 members elected Suleiman of the APC from Ningi constituency as the new speaker before the arrival of the remaining 20 APC members.
Upon the arrival of the 20 other members at about 7:57 Am, the newly elected Speaker Abubakar Suleiman quickly adjourned sitting till sine die.
This caused a commotion in the chamber, forcing security agents to use teargas to disperse the legislators.
The early morning sitting was conducted under full security cover by men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Department of State Services.
To counter the development, the remaining members of the Assembly also elected Kawuwa Shehu Damina as their speaker after the adjourned sitting of the House by Suleiman .
This further deepened crisis in the Assembly and raised tension the metropolis.
The APC had earlier expressed its displeasure with the postponement of the inauguration of the 9th State House of Assembly by Governor Bala Mohammed which was earlier slated for Monday 17th June to Thursday 20th June 2019.
The drama started when the 9th assembly of the state was inaugurated then eight lawmakers of the minority People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with three of the majority All Progressives Congress (APC) elected Abubakar Suleiman, an APC member, who represents Ningi constituency as the speaker.
The eight members of the PDP and three others from the APC and NNPP stormed the House, locked out the remaining APC members-elect and held the inaugural sitting during which the two principal officers were elected at about 6:00 am.
Ahmed Kawule of the PDP representing Zungur/Galambi/Miri Constituency was elected deputy speaker.
The other members of the APC, who were prevented from gaining access in the chambers of the assembly elected the former speaker, Kawuwa Shehu Damina as the new speaker.
The remaining APC members-elect got to the Assembly complex and were prevented from gaining access into the chambers. They resorted to holding their own inaugural sitting outside without the mace.
