Nasarawa Assembly Crisis: Group Criticises Gov. Sule For Backing Balarabe’s Faction

Concerned Nasarawa All Progressives Congress (APC) Stakeholders Forum has warned the Nasarawa State Governor not to plunge the state into crisis by throwing his weight behind a group led by former Nasarawa State House Speaker Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe in defiance of a court order.

During a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja, the Convener, Alhaji Ibrahim Shuaibu, branded the Governor’s actions as a high point of impunity, lawlessness, and unacceptable behaviour that threatens the state’s democratic process.

He said a Federal High Court had initially barred Balarabe from parading himself as the Speaker of the 7th Assembly following the emergence of Rt. Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi who was elected by a simple majority of votes and within the assembly.

He accused the Governor of violating his oath of office, which he swore with the holy Qur’an to uphold the Constitution and preserve democracy in the State, by recently hosting a reception for the Balarabe-led group of some Assembly members at the Government House in Lafia without recourse to the existing order of a Federal High Court on the Assembly matter.

“As part of the Governor’s disregard for the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution and due process, we have it on good authority that the Governor directed the Accountant General of the State to release and pay June salaries to only the members of Assembly loyal to Balarabe, who have not yet been properly inaugurated.

“It’s obvious that the Governor’s interest in the Assembly leadership has worsened the crisis and has further brought other public officials in the State to moral compromise.

“Aside from the contrary order recently issued by the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, Justice Aisha Bashir, conflicting with the earlier order of the federal high court Abuja, a judicial manipulation to truncate justice in Nasarawa State, we consider the role of Amirul Hajj of Aisha and her decision even as the Chief Judge of the state to lead the last sets of pilgrims from Nasarawa State to Saudi Arabia, totally strange.

”  A purely religious engagement of this magnitude should not be seen being coordinated by the highest judicial officer in the state, considering the sensitivity of her office. This has called to question the integrity and neutrality of the Chief Judge in handling this matter. We therefore strongly advise Justice Aisha Bashir to recuse herself from the Assembly matter, as she cannot be trusted to deliver justice on the matter.

” Accordingly, we call on the National Judicial Council to beam its searchlights on the State Chief Judge and other Judges handling this matter, to ensure that Justice is served. This is because her role as Amirul Hajj to the holy land and event is a bribe and reward for tampering with justice”

The group noted that those who make the rules must play by the rules just as it condemned the lawlessness and brazen impunity being exhibited by the custodian of laws.

” The Concerned Nasarawa APC Stakeholders are worried over the substitution of impunity and lawlessness in the political space of the state, perpetuated by individuals who consider themselves invincible and their political interests above the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

” The continuous disregard for due process and existing order of a Federal High Court barring Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe from parading himself as the Speaker of the 7th assembly in an election where Rt. Hon. Daniel Ogah Ogazi was elected by a simple majority vote and within the assembly complex is the height of impunity and lawlessness not expected to be condoned by a  Chief Executive of a state and any other elected public official no matter their interests.

” Governor Abdullahi A. Sule’s ill-conceived hospitality and reception of the Balarabe-led group of some Assembly members at the Government House, Lafia recently without recourse to the existing order of a Federal High Court on the Assembly matter is an aberration of his oath of office, which he swore with the holy Qur’an to uphold the Constitution and preserve democracy in the State.

“Gentlemen, our state is gradually drifting into a very dangerous path, there is no regard for due process and our constitution if the Assembly crisis is left unchecked. We call on His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State to order before he throws our dear State into a state of anarchy. A stitch in time saves nine,” Ibrahim added.