Group of Councillors in Doma LGA, Nas State Calls for Intervention of Governor and State Assembly Over Crises.

By Yusuf Usman

A group of Councillors in Doma local government area of Nasarawa state has called on the state governor Abdullahi Sule and leadership of the state Assembly to intervene on the crises currently facing the Legislative arm of the local government.

Briefing newsmen in lafia the state capital on the ongoing impasse in the Doma Legislative council ,the majority leader, councillor representing madawaki ward, Ibrahim Aliyu described the purported reversal of the swearing in of the councillor of Sarkin Dawaki ward Mohammad Mustapha by the speaker Mr Albert Rabo igbabo as unfortunate,unconstitutional and against the rule of law.

Ibrahim Aliyu wondered why the speaker Mr Albert Rabo,would unilaterally announced the reversal of a unanimous resolution made by all councillors at the council chamber in compliance with a state high court judgement..

The majority leader of Doma legislative council also described the purported suspension of Deputy speaker, majority leader ,Clerk and other members of the legislature as illegal,null and void as well as contrary to the house procedure and local government rules.

According to Ibrahim Aliyu ,the call for the intervention of the Governor and state Assembly became imperative in order to restore sanity to the local government legislative arm and prevent escalation of the matter from disrupting existing peace in the area and affecting smooth governance to the good people of Doma.

The councillor of madawaki ward further explained that a simple majority of five members out of Ten convened and passed a resolution to suspend the speaker Mr Albert Rabo igbabo for illegal announcement of reversal of swearing in of Mohammad Mustapha as councillor of Sarkin Dawaki ward as directed by a state high Court pending outcome of an investigation on the reason why he took that action.

He alleged that the current deadlock in the Doma Legislative arm and attempt to scuttle the judgement of the state high Court order were coming from some top government officials who are members of the All progressives Congress APC from the area.

“What is our offence.? We only obeyed a court judgement and followed the rule of law. We received the court order and acted accordingly. .so what wrong have we done”..? Councillor Ibrahim Aliyu asked. ..?

The local government lawmaker expressed regret over the lingering crises within the All progressives Congress APC in Doma local government which had negatively affected the party in the just concluded general elections.

Ibrahim Aliyu used the medium to appreciate Governor Abdullahi Sule for his leadership qualities and unflinching belief in the rule of law,expressing hope that the intervention of the governor would bring an end to the unfortunate and avoidable crises between and among the same party members in the area.

The majority leader of Doma legislative council also described a story that the chairman of the council Sarki Usman is yet to submit the 2023 budget to the legislature as mere propaganda by detractors of progress and development of the local government area,explaining that the chairman had submitted the budget since December last year and it has went through first to third reading and subsequently passed by the legislature .

A state high Court in Lafia presided by justice Haruna Offor had on December 2021 in a ruling directed immediately swearing in of Mohammad Mustapha as the duely elected councillor for sarkin Dawaki ward of Doma local government area, withdraw of certificate of return from the then councillor and issuance of certificate of return to Mohammad Mustapha by the state independent electoral commission NASIEC.

Not satisfied, the APC in the state appealed the judgement of the state high court in Makurdi Benue state ,where the appellate court also ruled in favour of Mohammad Mustapha.

Meanwhile the Nasarawa State Commissioner for justice and Attorney general ,AbdulKarim Kana while responding to a text message on the issue said the court has passed judgement and he cannot get involved in a councillorship matter when there are urgent state issues that needed his attention.