Nasarawa Assembly Speakership: crisis depends as Coalition accuses govt Sule of interference ****Warns against impending crisis in the state

By David Okpashi

The Speakership and other principal officers crisis rocking the Nasarawa state House of Assembly ahead the inauguration of the 7th assembly, depends on Sunday following accusation of interference hipped on the governor of the state, Abdullahi Sule by a Coalition of Kwararafa Development Network and Nasarawa state coalition for justice.

The coalition in a press conference address by its Chairman, Comrade James Allu warned the state governor, Abdullahi Sule to stay clear of the Assembly election to avoid crisis situation in the state

The Kwararafa Development Network and Nasarawa coalition for Justice, a pressure group, accused the state governor and his cohorts against action that could threaten the peace of the state.

According to the coalition, the election of the Nasarawa State Assembly speakership and other principal officers was an inhouse matter that aught to be conducted devoid of the interference of the governor and his agents.

The Coalition alleged that politicians and government agents were going about intimidating and induce members elect with money to sway their interest in the election of speaker and other principal officers.

Allu said the act of the power that be is amounting to subversion and a clear violation of democratic process, noting that it also as good as an assault on the rule of law.

“We are deeply concerned about the reported plan to use the security personnel and money bag politicians from the Governor’s camp and his agents to intimidate and subdue house members elect.

“This report bears a semblance of what transpired during the gubernatorial election, a clear violation of the democratic process and assault on the rule of law and the will of the people of Nasarawa state,” he stated

According to Allu, the press conference became necessary to let the world and promoters of democracy in Nigeria know about the plan to use security personnel
to disrupt the speakership election of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.

“invite you to this press conference to draw the attention of the people of good will and the international community to the undemocratic action being unleashed in Nasarawa State by governor Sule and his cohorts We chose today to call for this urgent press conference to alert the world and most of all, promoters of democracy in Nigeria about the plans to use the security personnel again

“This action will be another attempt to violate the democratic process and undermined the will of the people, to be expressed through our elected members who are planning to conduct their internal affairs of electing it’s principal officers,” the Coalition said.

It cautioned all the government agents going round and threatening our elected members to do the Governor’s bidding to have a rethink as it would do them no good in electing ‘rubber stamp speaker’.

The Coalition therefore called on civil society organisations and human rights groups to monitor the situation in Nasarawa State to avoid unhealthy situation in the state .

“While we remain committed to upholding the principles of democracy, we will not hesitate to take all necessary measures to protect the democratic process in Nasarawa State.

“No amount of intimidation will deter us from doing what we believe is right and within democratic norms