From Yahaya Audu, Bauchi
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi has said that the state government was ashamed with the crisis that rocked the State House of Assembly almost a month ago.
He said, “We are really ashamed with the situation in Bauchi, myself and my colleague the distinguished senator of repute, who is ranking senator to me, all to find ourselves in this logjam”.
Governor Bala said however that politics is dynamic with some of the democratic manifestations coming with crisis, some salutary and some negative.
He was speaking Monday in Bauchi while receiving a 12-member committee of the House of Representatives saddled with the responsibility of investigating the State Assembly crisis that culminated to the recent emergence of two speakers.
Mohammed reiterated his loyalty to the people of the state, and respect the autonomy and sacrosanctity of the House of Representatives, saying what happened in Bauchi is very regrettable.
He said the state government will not preempt what the House of Representatives committee on the Bauchi impasse is going to do, but would rather the committee all the necessary support required to thoroughly do its job.
“As far as we are concern there is only one House in Bauchi, and elections have been conducted, I was privileged to sign the proclamation, and elections were held with the Clerk and the symbol of authority (Myth), in the House Chamber and within the time line”.
Bala, who admitted that some members are excluded from the elections, said however that it is very sad for people representing their constituencies to be excluded in the discharge of their parliamentary exercise.
“Certainly it is a shame to us as distinguished senators, where you have two distinguished senators managing the affairs of the state. We will never in our culture and tutelage to undermine the importance and respect the parliament has as the second arm of government”.
The governor described the parliament as the driving force because it determines what happens in governance, adding “we are not supposed to interfere in what is happening in the House”.
He stressed the need for doing things in a manner that would give semblance of good governance, expressing dismay that the closure of the House has led to some restraints for the state to do a lot of things.
Bala explained that as a Governor whose emergence came as a result of bipartisan support in the state will not undermine the importance of each and every member in the State House of Assembly.
The governor assured the committee that the government will abide by its outcome, wished the committee fruitful deliberations, and expressed confidence that the outcome will be acceptable to both parties.
The chairman of the committee, Musa Sarki Adah said the committee was appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to investigate the crisis that bedeviled the Bauchi Assembly.
Sarki Adah noted that as a result of the crisis an ugly incident happened in the history of parliament in Bauchi state happened where two speakers emerged in the election of the House leader.
He explained that the subsequent closure of the House has not only halted legislative proceedings, but also deprived the electorate of representation in the Assembly.
Adah said that theirs is a bipartisan committee with members drawn from the six geo-political zones of the country, representing various ethic tribes and across party lines, hence it will ensure that the assignment bestowed on it is duly accomplished.
The chairman called for the support of the state government, members of the state legislature, the political parties, as well as any other stakeholder in the state who feels he/she has information that would help in unravelling the circumstances the committee is assigned to investigate.
“Our concern is to find solution so that the progress of this state can continue without hindrance. So by the act of what happen, the good people of Bauchi state have been deprive of good representation with the Assembly close for almost one month now after inauguration”, Adah concluded.
The committee which commence sitting Monday at the Command Guest House, Bauchi will accept both written and oral testimonies from the good citizens of the state.
