By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
The member representing Hardawa Constituency in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Babayo Muhammad Akuyam, has emerged as the new Speaker.
Similarly, the House also elected Ahmed Abdullahi, representing Dass Constituency, as Deputy Speaker.
This is coming days after the Appeal Court, Abuja Division, sacked the then Speaker, Abubakar Suleiman, as Member representing Ningi Central Constituency.
Suleiman, is the immediate past Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Not satisfied with the declaration of the election’s results, Abdulmalik-Ningi, approached the Governorship and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in the State to seek redress. But the Tribunal dismissed his case and affirmed the victory of Suleiman for a second term in office.
Also not satisfied with the judgment, the APC candidate went to the Court of Appeal to challenge the Tribunal’s ruling. And in its judgment on Friday, the Appellate Court’s three-man panel, set aside the judgment of the Tribunal and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a rerun in 10 polling units.
Barely three days after the sack of Suleiman, the Court also sacked his deputy, Jamilu Barade, a Member of the PDP, from his position as Member representing Bauchi Central Constituency, and also ordered for a rerun in some polling units.
Also not satisfied with the tribunal’s ruling, the APC candidate, Aliyu Ilela, went to the Appellate Court which granted his prayers and nullified the election because of alleged over-voting. The court also ordered for a rerun in some rolling units.
But the House in its plenary on Wednesday, elected Akuyam and Abdullahi as Speaker and deputy respectively, unopposed.
The election of the new Speaker followed a nomination by the Member, representing Shira Constituency Auwal Hassan and was seconded by Member representing Burra Tanko Ibrahim.
Both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker were sworn in by the Clerk of the House, Umar Gital in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Later, the Speaker was escorted to his seat by the mover and seconder of the nomination as well as the Deputy Speaker.
In his acceptance Speech, Akuyam thanked Allah for his emergence as the Speaker and assured the good people of the State that his doors will always remain open for positive advice and commended his colleagues for their belief that he can deliver.
According to him, going by the present administration’s ideology the House would do everything possible for the overall development of the State.
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