His Excellency, Engineer Abdullahi Sule featured as guest on Arise Television today night being Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
Excerpts from the interview as monitored from Lafia.
On his choice of speaker
I have a preference, but it’s not compulsory. My choice is the person I have worked with for the last four years. Because I have worked with him. I met him as a speaker. I worked with him, and we had a very peaceful state. Nasarawa State is considered one of the most peaceful states, and it’s because of the kind of relationship I had with him. It is the same thing with the Chief Judge. I have a wonderful relationship with the CJ. The three arms of government in Nasarawa State have excellent working relationships. Politicians can sometimes create big things out of nothing. These two gentlemen that we are talking about, who are contesting against each other, they are the best of friends. They know each other much longer than I knew them. Now they are having problems between themselves because one wants the position of the other. But I do the best I can to stay away. I said if yo agree with me, I would prefer to continue with this person, but I am not imposing him on you.
Basis for preference
I think executives have the right as human beings, as a governor, I am also a citizen of Nasarawa State. I have the right to say I prefer this rather than that. I want this other than that, especially in a situation where I will be the one to work with the people. So I can say, based on what I know about you, I prefer this person to that. I have a choice. I am a human being, but it’s not compulsory.
My preference for Balarabe Ibrahim foremost is because he is mature. He demonstrated that yesterday. Secondly, he has been able to keep the house calm. Before he came, we had a house of assembly in Nasarawa State that are actually punching each other. Since I came in in 2019, there has not been one time where we had any kinds of problems within the house, where people are punching each other. He has the respect of most of the members. Like today, we have 11 members of the assembly that are APC. Eight are with him in this same exercise that we are talking about. Before I had my preference, I had a discussion with the party and the party also chose him and said that it is the right person that we want. I consulted also with some of the major stakeholders in the state, and they said he is the right person. I didn’t just jump up and said this is the person I want, I made consultations. Then we called all the legislators from our party and told them this is who we want to be speaker and we want them to support him.
On autonomy of state assembly
Even the local government has one hundred percent autonomy. Since I came in in 2019, I have never, for one day, interfered with how local government funds are shared. Now you are talking of even the legislature.
Balarabe was sworn in at some ministry rather than the hallowed chambers of the assembly by a minority. The Ogazi camp has 13 members, while the man you are supporting has 11 or so. Who ordinarily at face value should be recognized? Is it the one that was sworn-in at a different place entirely or the one sworn-in at the state assembly complex?
First, I never wanted to get involved in their arguments about who does what or the other. But let us look at the legitimacy of swearing-in. The Governor usually writes a proclamation letter to the clerk. Once there is no assembly, the clerk is in charge. Only the clerk can swear in a speaker. The moment he inaugurates a speaker, the speaker will now turn around to inaugurate the other members. In Nasarawa State, we have the house of assembly and the former house of assembly. The clerk went and swore in these guys and brought them to my office. Some people are making noise about whether they are ten or eight. The quorum for the house of assembly is one-third. These people like you said were eleven. I followed the law. Who do you want me to recognize, the one sworn-in by the clerk or the one sworn-in by only God knows who?