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7th Nasarawa Assembly : Why Speaker Balarabe deserves another term – Information Chairman

“… as 6th assembly sets to hold valedictory session marking the end of its legislative duties, Wednesday May 31st, 2023…”
Chairman, House Committee on Information, Nassarawa State House of Assembly, Hon Mohammed Adamu Omadefu, has advocated for the return of Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi as Speaker of the 7th Assembly for continuous peace, stability and progress of the House and the State at large.
Omadefu, who is a member representing Keana Constituency made the advocacy today in Lafia while briefing newsmen on the activities of the present 6th Assembly which is coming to an end this month.
According to him, Speaker Balarabe Abdullahi leadership has achieved a lot by bringing peace, stability and progress not only to the House but the state at large hence the need for the call of his continuity.
” In history of the House, Speaker Balarabe passed the highest number of bills into law considering the fact that law making is the fundamental of legislative arm.
” First Assembly has passed 33bills, 2nd Assembly 20bills, 3rd Assembly 31bills, 4th Assembly 45bills,5th Assembly 48bills and 6th Assembly 61bills,” he said.
He said that re-electing Balarabe as Speaker for the 7th Assembly would also bring speedy development to the state.
” I think for stability in the legislative duties and stability in the state, there is the need for continuity of Speaker Balarabe leadership.
” Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi is a man of integrity and pedigree. He has done well and deserves another term.
” Even though, it is not time for speakership campaign, I am advocating for the continuity of House leadership under Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi,” he said.
The information chairman said that Balarabe has performed well, hence the need for his call on Hon. Members of the 7th Assembly to re-elect him.
” He stabilize the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, no rancour, no party differences, peace and unity remains the order of the day.
” Enhance effective relationship between Executive and Legislature as well as the Judiciary, cleared suspicious doubts existed between Executive and Legislators he inherited as a result of impeachment moved by the 4th Assembly against Gov. Al-makura,” he said.
Omadefu also said that the Speaker encouraged oversight functions akin to what is obtained at the National Assembly.
” Other achievements of the Speaker include he is the first Speaker in Nasarawa State to get Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA )appointment to represent African Region.
” First Speaker in the State to get Presidential award as best Speaker in North Central Nigeria presented to him by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
” He has hold the position of National Vice Chairman, North Central, Nigeria, Conference of Speakers of State Assemblies diligently,” he added.
Omadefu also disclosed that Nasarawa Assembly under the leadership of Balarabe was ranked second best among the 36 State Assemblies in Nigeria in terms of performance.
” He got Late Sardauna of Sokoto Sir Ahmadu Bello Merit Award as one of the best Speakers in Northern Nigeria,” he said.
The information chairman disclosed that the 6th Assembly would hold its valedictory session on 31st May, 2023 to mark the end of the legislative session.
Hon Omadefu called on the people of the State to have faith in the assembly and the government of Engr. Abdullahi Sule and continue to pray and give their maximum support to the arms of government in the State to succeed.
News
SERAP sues Akpabio over ‘failure to reverse unlawful suspension of Natasha Akpoti’

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The group argues that the suspension is unlawful and violates her fundamental right to freedom of expression.
SERAP is seeking a court order compelling Akpabio to reverse the six-month suspension, reinstate Akpoti-Uduaghan, and restore all her legislative privileges. The organization also wants an injunction preventing the Senate from imposing further disciplinary actions against her for expressing her views.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended after she reportedly spoke without permission and rejected a new seat assignment in the Senate chamber. As part of her suspension, her salary and allowances have been withheld, and she has been barred from identifying as a senator.
In its suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP contends that the suspension deprives Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituents of political representation. The organization also argues that penalizing a senator for exercising free speech creates a chilling effect on other lawmakers.
“No one should ever be punished for speaking without permission,” SERAP stated. “The Senate should uphold the rule of law and protect human rights, not suppress them.”
The group cites constitutional provisions and international human rights treaties, including Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
SERAP maintains that the Senate Standing Orders cannot override constitutional guarantees of free speech. The lawsuit emphasizes that restricting a senator’s expression undermines democracy and violates Nigerians’ right to receive information and participate politically.
No date has been set for the hearing of the case.
News
Market associations, women groups knock el-Rufai, rally support for Tinubu, Gov Sani

Ahead of the 2027 elections, hundreds of members of market associations and numerous women groups in Kaduna state at the weekend, occupied Kaduna metropolis in a peaceful demonstration where they reiterated their loyalty and support to the administration of
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The protesters who alleged that they had bitter experiences during the El-Rufa’i administration, said they would remain where Governor Uba Sani stood and advised the citizens of Kaduna not to be deceived by doing the contrary.
They recounted their ordeals during the 8 years of the previous administration, alleging that hundreds of market shops belonging to individuals were either seized, demolished or confiscated, a situation that triggered ill health in many traders and business owners leading to paralysis and multiple deaths of their colleagues.
“We’ve been in the market for over 40 years and have never experienced the kind of set backs we suffered under the previous Governor.”
“A lot of lives were lost,a lot of finances were ruined by reason of his kind of policies. We are here to speak with one voice and say that anything that would kind of revive such kind of philosophy in Kaduna market, we don’t want it,” Daniel Audu Maigari, a stakeholder of the Kaduna Market associations, has said.
He explained that “this incumbent Governor began by healing the wounds, the wounds that were really severed by the former Governor. Governor Uba Sani has been doing so,so very well and that’s why we’ve been with our leader, Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, who like Governor Sani,has been charting the right course, ensuring programmes and plans that will heal these wounds .”
He said there was never been a time they are having the impact of leadership in Kaduna market, like they are having now.
” Now we’ve lots of incentives, lots of policies that are driving us to progress .We are now standing with one voice to denounce anything that would reverse this,” he said.
Alhaji Daiyabu Ismail Mai Gwanjo, Chairman Stakeholders of the Kaduna State Market Traders associations, said on behalf of their leader,Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, his EXCO and all trader leaders in the 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, they have gathered to unilaterally declare an unalloyed support to Governor Uba Sani who had taken care of them and protected their interests.
According to him,” we have to say so,haven had the harrowing experience in the hands of the past administration. The scar still remains and many are yet to recover.”
“But when Almighty Allah sent Governor Uba Sani to us,he declared he would not do anything bad to traders because the world thrives on businesses.All the most cherished countries like China, Canada, UAE, India,are very proud of and supportive to their traders and other business persons.”
“Unfortunately, we found ourselves during the previous administration that neither showed empathy nor sympathy to traders. An approximate number of 36 markets were demolished at that time.None of these markets was completely rebuild ,till date,and we are suspicious of the collaboration between the previous administration and the market developers.”
“We are therefore calling on Governor Uba Sani, our Governor of sympathy and understanding, to look at this issue with a view to resolving it.We are with Uba Sani a hundred percent, ” he added.
Hajiya Hadiza Abdulaziz,a woman leader of the market association,said they have gathered in multitudes to reiterate their support to the APC and Governor Uba Sani who has tremendously supported the market men and women in Kaduna State.
” Most of the market women had no shops because the shops were collected. But now we give God the glory everybody has gotten their shops back and nobody will collect it again,” she said.
She expressed happiness that those making the market women not to achieve, had left the party and government.
“We’ve been crying, a lot of market women don’t have capital, they have been deceiving us.But now,I believe Governor Uba Sani is going to assist us,”she added.
The protesters later took to the streets ,displaying placards with various inscriptions denouncing the previous arrangements, and chanting slogans in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
” Most of the market women had no shops because the shops were collected. But now we give God the glory everybody has gotten their shops back and nobody will collect it again,” she said.
She expressed happiness that those making the market women not to achieve, had left the party and government.
“We’ve been crying, a lot of market women don’t have capital, they have been deceiving us.But now,I believe Governor Uba Sani is going to assist us,”she added.
The protesters later took to the streets ,displaying placards with various inscriptions denouncing the previous arrangements, and chanting slogans in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
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