Nigeria: Kaduna - Controversy Over Speaker's Status As Governor Presents Budget Today

18 December 2023
Leadership (Abuja)
By Isaiah Benjamin

The controversy trailing the Speakership status of Kaduna State House of Assembly appears to have assumed a new dimension as the State Governor, Senator Uba Sani presents the 2024 budget to the assembly.

The hirtherto speaker of the House, Hon. Dahiru Yusuf Liman, who was sacked by the Appeal Court Tribunal is yet to be replaced, just as his certificate is yet to be withdrawn 24 days after judgement.

The Court of Appeal on November 24, 2023 sacked Liman who represents Makera Constituency in the State Assembly.

The Court of Appeal, in the judgment delivered by Justice Abimhola Osarugue Obasaki-Adejumo, specifically ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return it had issued to Mr. Liman.

The court, which declared the election into Kaduna State House of Assembly as inconclusive, also ordered INEC to conduct a re-run election in five polling units of Makera State constituency.

But in total disregard to the court order, it was reliably gathered that the members of the State Assembly still accord the sacked speaker the same status.

INEC on its part has not withdrawn the certificate of return to Mr. Liman as directed by court.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the members of the State Assembly are still holding sittings behind closed doors with the sacked speaker.

They have refused to elect another speaker to occupy the vacant seat.

A member of the Assembly who spoke to our correspondent however said, since the court order sacking the speaker, the Assembly has not sat and has been on recess, adding that the presentation of the budget by the Governor Senator Uba Sani today (Monday) will be a major assignment, "So let's wait and see" he said.

The state government, on its part, has continued to accord the sacked Speaker the same status, as he continues to attend state function as Speaker.

On Tuesday, December 6, the Deputy governor of the State, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe and the embattled speaker visited the scene of the Kaduna drone bombing attack on Villagers of Tudun Biri.

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