Nasarawa: Lawmakers Petitions NJC

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly on
Monday resolved to report the state Chief
Judge, Suleiman Dikko, to the National Judicial
Council, NJC, over alleged lacuna in setting up
the panel that investigated Governor Umaru
Tanko Al-Makura, on alleged gross misconduct.

The Assembly made the resolution during its
plenary session following a motion to that effect
moved by the Majority Leader, Godiya
Akwashiki (PDP Nasarawa Eggon- West) and
seconded by the deputy house leader, Yahaya
Usman (PDP Umasha/ Ugya) at the House of
Assembly complex, Lafia, the state capital.
The resolution was passed shortly after the
lawmakers returned from their recess to
continue with the remaining part of the
legislative year consequent upon which it
directed the clerk of the house to write a letter
to that effect to the NJC within 24 hours.

Proceedings of the plenary session began at
10:40 a.m when the Majority Leader raised a
motion under section 4 of the order paper of the
day under matters of public interest saying, “We
have meet here today to observe certain lacuna
to the setting up of the panel which investigated
the governor.

Therefore, there is the need to write to the NJC
to investigate the Chief Judge within 24 hours in
order to avoid the breakdown of law and other
in the state.”
In a submission to that motion, Francis Orogu
(PDP Keana) viewed the motion as desirable
hence according to him, “the state Chief Judge
has abused his oath of office and joined forces
with others to frustrate the process of enacting
the rule of law in the state.”

Passing the motion, the Speaker, Ahmed Musa
Mohammed, ruled that “the motion is hereby
passed and the Clerk of the Assembly is hereby
directed to act accordingly within 24 hours of
the passage of the resolution.”

Similarly, the state Assembly at the same
plenary sitting suspended one of its members,
Tanko Tunga (APC Awe North), on allegation of
casting aspersion on the state’s legislative body
for six months and placed him on half salary
during the period.

The motion that led to the suspension of the
Awe North representative was moved by
Mohammed Baba Ibaku (PDP Udegye/Loko)
after seeking the stepping down of section 14
subsection 3 of the house code which prohibits
the deliberation of two issues on matters of
public interest for sitting.

The motion of Baba Ibaku, which was seconded
by the majority leader of the house, wanted
Tunga suspended because “ he (Tunga) had on
July 23, 2014 obstructed the business of the
Assembly by pushing the Speaker, tampering
with mace, crying in the hallowed chamber of
the Assembly when he was not beaten and
casting aspersion on the lawmaker on the state-
owned broadcasting outfit.”

Hitherto, Ibaku had wanted the lawmaker to be
suspended for six months and placed on half
salary, visit a psychiatric for test and barred
from sittings at the Assembly premises till he
completes his suspension.