Jigawa Assembly Speaker Bars Journalists Access To Assembly

Umar Akilu Majeri

The Jigawa state house of assembly has summoned its members for an emergency sitting; following the judgement passed by a high court sitting in Dutse nullified the suspension of former majority leader, Hon. Sani Isiyaku Gumel.

 

It was last week, the court ordered for the immediate payment of all entitlement belonging to the suspended member Sani Gumel, but the state government in collaboration with the state assembly deferred the court order challenging the earlier verdict insisting that government was not given a fair hearing on the case.

 

Journalists were stranded at the main entrance of the state assembly denied access to the premises under the instruction of the speaker, Hon. Idris Garba Jahun who directed security agents not to allow journalists access to the premises.

 

A security guard attached to the gate who vehemently kicked against access to the premises, Corporal Shehu told journalists that he is working under the directive of the speaker that they should not allow any journalists to enter the assembly complex unless local media, Jigawa Television and Radio Jigawa.

 

It was learnt that, the state commissioner of justice, Barrister Musa Aliyu Adamu has attended the emergency sitting held at the state assembly in his capacity as defence counsel who seek for the defer of the case earlier nullified by the high court sitting in Dutse.

 

Universal Reporters reports that fear of hash or intimidating questions on his planned impeachment by majority of the members who have lost hope and confidence on the way and manner the speaker Idris pilots the affairs of the assembly were among the reasons he barred journalists access.

 

Hon. Idris Garba member representing Jahun constituency was elected as the speaker of the 6th assembly but seven months after his swearing in, he was impeached for what the majority of the members described as high hardness, arrogance, divide and rule as well as betrayal of trust among other things.

 

Since his impeachment, he stay away from attending sitting until when he observed his time for suspension period is due, he will sneaked to avoid been suspended. He cut off all his relationship with his colleagues and other staff of the assembly.

 

When Governor Badaru was sworn in for a second term, it was alleged that he influenced majority of the assembly members and work in favour of the impeached speaker, Garba Jahun and reinstated him back as the speaker of the 7th assembly.

 

However, his return as the speaker has not changed as he continued with his dictatorship rule and high hardness, divide and rule making members of the assembly to regret their decision for reinstating him back as their speaker.

 

One of the aggrieved members who spoke on anonymity and worked tirelessly for the re-emergence of Hon. Idris as speaker, regretted his involvement in actualizing the speaker’s long awaited dreams, saying “we are disappointed and lost hope, confidence on Hon. Idris Garba re-election as the speaker for a second term”.

 

He stated further that most of the members sympathized with Hon Idris after his impeachment thinking that he has changed his negative attitude of governance but unfortunately he sidelined and they are paying for their price all that have worked for his return back.