Ogazi, Balarabe Camps End Rift As Nasarawa Assembly Gets Speaker

The over six weeks leadership crisis rocking the Nasarawa State House of Assembly has been laid to rest as contending parties have finally resolved to work in harmony for the “peace and development ofi the state”.

This followed the decision of the factional Speaker and member representing Kokona-East, Mr. Daniel Ogazi, to jettison his ambition.

Mr. Ogazi, the leader of the G-10 members of the Assembly announced the decision of his camp to end the crisis at a press conference, which held ati the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat located on Makurdi Road in Lafia, the State capital, on Friday.

Shortly after the factional group of lawmakers joined the Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi camp at the State Assembly Complex, the legislators consequently elected a substantive Speaker of the 7th Stateii Assembly.

The members unanimously reelected Mr. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Umaisha/ Ugya as the Speaker of the 7th Assembly.

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They also elected Mr Abel Yakubu Bala (PDP -i Nassarawa Eggon West) as the Deputy Speaker of the 7th Assembly.

Mr. Ibrahim Musa, the Acting Clerk of the House, made the disclosures during the inauguration of the members of the 7th  Assembly aftermath of the ceasefire by both groups on Friday.

The Clerk of the House said that the inauguration was in line with Governor Abdullahi Sule’s proclamation as well as in line with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Mr Mohammed Adamu Oyanki (PDP-Doma North) nominated Mr Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi for the position of the Speaker, which was seconded by Mr Larry Ven Bawa (APC-Akwanga North).

Mr Ibrahim Peter Akwe (PDP- Obi 1) nominated Mr Abel Yakubu Bala for the position of Deputy Speaker, which was seconded by Mr Suleiman Yakubu Azara (APC-Awe South).

The Clerk, thereafter, inaugurated the Speaker and Deputy Speaker while the Speaker of the House thereafter inaugurated other members of the House.

The new Speaker, in his acceptance speech, pledgedi to provide an all-inclusive leadership in the interest of the peace and development.

“I want to congratulate Honourable members on your inauguration and for electing me to serve as Speaker of the seventh Assembly

“I have presided over the affairs of this Assembly in the last eight years with all sense of fairness and fear of God.

“I want to assure you that I will continue in that spirit.I will also continue to operate an open door policy as I have done in the last eight years,” Balarabe promised.

He assured the staff of the Assembly of his readiness to improve their welfare, while alsoi pledging to continue to partner with the statei government under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Sule to develop the state.

Recall that crisis had rocked the Assembly with both Abdullahi and Ogazi laying claim to the speakership position.

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The development polarised the Assembly into two factions with two key protagonists as leaders.

On June 6, Abdullahi’s camp elected him speaker at a sitting in the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, while Ogazi was elected byi members of his camp at a plenary sitting at the State Assembly complex on the same day even when a notice of indefinite postponement was issued by the Clerk of the House, citing security concern.

The development degenerated further with both camps heading to courts in a power play which created tension across the state.