By Ali Abare
The matter is now before the law courts. But what is the root cause of the leadership crisis at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly? There are different and conflicting reasons for the impasse. However, it all started when 24 honourable members of the 7th Assembly were provided with the opportunity to elect their leaders. This is not a dispensable act or a happen chance but a constitutional requirement mandating these honourable members to elect their leaders.
It’s a simple exercise that went amiss, all thanks personal and overriding political interests. Obviously, there are vested interests who thought otherwise regarding the efforts made by the leader of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, His Excellency, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, as well as the State Working Committee of the party, to have a seamless transition at the assembly.
It’s on record that concerted efforts were made by the governor and leaders of the APC in the state, to arrive at a flawless inauguration of the 7th Assembly, with both the governor and party officials interfacing with members-elect, on how the election is intended to be conducted.
It’s also a known fact that since the inception of this democratic dispensation, election of leadership of the assembly have been through negotiations and horse-trading. Elections on the flour of the assembly have always been perfunctory rituals, with the members only affirming already taken decisions arrived at outside the confines of the assembly.
The election of the leadership of the 7th Assembly was meant to follow this established pattern except that fifth columnists saw the need to upset the applecart.
The impasse at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly has brought the state to the limelight albeit negatively. This has the grave potential to needlessly stall governance as it is cspable of distracting the administration of Engineer Sule.
Recall the velocity and accomplishments of the administration during the past four years, at the peak of which was the official flagged off of oil drilling at the Ebenyi-A oil well in Obi Local Government Area by former president Muhammdu Buhari. The assembly impasse is therefore anticlimactic and emphatically retrogressive.
So many decisions to be taken by the Engineer Sule administration, be it the passage of a bill or even the confirmation of the appointments of members of the state executive council or special advisers that will aide the governor in administering the state is now in limbo because of the obvious crippling of the legislature.
There are various issues emanating from the impasse at the assembly, which if not carefully handled, could seriously affect the efficiency and potency of the new administration.
First, is the introduction of too much politics in the emergence of the speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly. His Excellency, Engineer Abdullahi Sule has already made known his preference for incumbent Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi. This is mostly hinged on the cordial relationship that existed between the legislature and executive arms of government which saw to achieving the successes so far recorded by the administration.
However, unlike the 6th assembly, where the APC dominated the state legislature, the case is not the same with the 7th Assembly, where the seats were shared almost equally among the two major political parties. In the 7th Assembly, APC has 11 seats, PDP, 8, SDP, 3 and NNPP, 2.
This narrow margins between the parties constituted a stumbling block for the APC to have its way outrightly, making it necessary for the ruling party to reachout to opposition members with a view to forming alliance.
While the APC was going about wooing members of the opposition to support its cause and to see to the emergence of Rt.Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi as the speaker, other vested interests saw a window of opportunity to hijack the assembly in order to boosts their political clout ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial election.
For these group of individuals, who somehow felt sidelined in the scheme of things, getting a grip at the assembly would provide the impetus for them to decide who takes over from Engineer Sule after his term expires in 2027.
Again, there are other versions of tale of the imbroglio. Of course, it’s a season for politics and the jostling for space within the administration has further fueled rumors and speculation in trying to explain the leadership crisis at the assembly.
There are those who see the transition period of the administration as opportunity to become relevant and influential. They see and atribute any challenge coming the way of the Engineer Sule administration as being masterminded by either of the two previous governors of the state.
Even the recent withdrawal of his case at the national assembly election petition tribunal is being linked to the crisis at the assembly, with Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura accused of colluding with the PDP to attempt to hijack the assembly. It was even rumored that the immediate past governor only accepted to withdraw his case against Senator Mohammed Onawo only after the PDP members-elect agreed to undertake a secret oath and to agree to line up behind Hon Daniel Ogah Ogazi. However, with Hon Mohammed Oyanki and Hon Ovey John both of the PDP extraction dumping Ogazi to join Speaker Balarabe Abdullahi, puts to the lie such tales by moonlight.
Again, the rumor mill has it that, only Senator Abdullahi Adamu will prevail on Hon Ibrahim Nana (APC, Keffi West) not to support the decision of His Excellency, Engineer Abdullahi Sule in his choice of Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi as speaker. This is against the backdrop that Senator Adamu is the National Chairman of the APC.
It’s is a fact that, though the APC suffered series of electoral loses during his tenure as National Chairman of the party, especially in Nasarawa State where the party lost all the three senatorial seats, it remains to be seen how hijacking the state assembly could further the cause of the National Chairman.
Another explanation that is gaining traction is the insinuation that the former minister of environment, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi is behind the crisis at the state assembly. As accusing fingers continue to point towards the former minister, especially with the series of activities taking place in Abuja, it’s becoming clear by the day that such insinuation may after all turn out to be true.
The purpose of this piece is not to apportion blame but to find solution to the lingering impasse at the state assembly in order to allow unfettered and unhindered pathway for the Engineer Sule administration to deliver on its campaign promises.
The situation at the assembly, if not properly and quickly addressed, could impact negatively on the progress of the state. Certainly, conflict of interests may arise as a result of divergence in views and aspirations but so far, Engineer Sule has been able to adroitly navigate through all the highs and lows inherent in the political landscape of Nasarawa State to sustain and nurture cordial relationship with his predecessors.
Indeed, Nasarawa State is lucky to have as governor a person of Engineer Sule’s pedigree and experience. Being a technocrat with proven track record of delivery and performance, Engineer Sule is already succeeding in bringing his vast knowledge from the private sector to bear in the administration of the state.
By the deliberately introducing extraneous political interests in an otherwise simple election process at the state assembly, an action taken by certain political actors to arguably salvage lost political clout, these group of persons are only using Hon Ogazi as focal point towards actualizing their goal, to the detriment of the state.
No personal interest should supercede the collective interest of the people of the state. First, there must be a Nasarawa State before there can be a governor. Even the negative publicity as a backlash is not good for a state that is presently making its presence and impact known across the country.
It would therefore, serve the people of the state well if leaders like Senators Abdullahi Adamu and Umaru Tanko Al-makura join hands with other critical stakeholders from the state, to quickly resolve the lingering leadership impasse at the assembly.
Nasarawa State cannot afford to misuse the golden opportunity to assert itself among the commity of states, as being spearheaded under the Engineer Sule administration.
