20 APC Niger Assembly Members Lose Return Tickets

No fewer than 20 out of the 25 sitting members of the Niger State House of Assembly have lost their bid to return to the law making chamber as they failed to secure a return ticket from their party, the All Progressives Congress.

Our correspondent observed that the entire members from Niger East and Niger North of the party were unable to secure the ticket of the party to come back to the House.
It was also observed that only members of Lapai, Bida 1, Bida 2 and Edati State Constituencies were able to secure another term through the ticket of the party from Niger South out of the nine members from the senatorial zone.
Sources hinted that the members were looking at their inability to secure another teem ticket as the failure of the house leadership and the executive arm to properly protect their interest.

A member who prefers anonymity told our correspondent that “in the 6th and 7th Assembly the members were protected but now more than 80 percent of the members could not secure the party’s ticket. We are not considering this as a coincidence. There will be a backlash.”
It was learnt that some members would spoil for showdown when the House resumes plenary as the members feel rejected and disappointed even as some of them are already considering change of the House leadership.
“The members are angered that the House leadership did not do much for them. It may be because the Speaker, Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, was not looking for second term and he did not contest. You know the next speaker will come Niger North. The members alleged that he felt unconcerned” a source disclosed
Speaking to LEADERSHIP the member representing Bosso Constituency, Malik Madaki Bosso , confirmed it was a witch-hunt of serving members.

He said where there were irregularities and the serving members complained like his constituency where even civil servants were delegates; such complaints were not attended to, adding “they only attended to that of Kontagora and Edati constituencies.”

When contacted for his position, the Speaker, Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, was not in the office and his line was switched off.