Niger Assembly rejects Gov Bello’s list of commissioner nominees

The frosty relationship between the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello and the state House of Assembly took a different dimension on Thursday as the House rejected the list of commissioner nominees sent to it by the Governor.

The House, after it sitting on Thursday threw back the list of the nominees to the Governor, saying that the House is too occupied with other legislative activities and therefore the list should be re-submitted on a later date.

It could be recalled that the Governor had sent the list of 18 commissioner nominees to the House screening and confirmation after the resolution of the entire cabinet two months ago.

The rejection of the list of the commissioner nominees is coming barely two weeks after the House gave the Governor up to December 22, within which to implement the new contributory pension law passed and assent to by the Governor but refused to implement it.

Only last week too, the Governor was said to have sneaked into the assembly where he held a three hours closed door with the members, though the details of the meeting was not known, it was however gathered that it is not unconnected with the stained relationship between the two.
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However, rejecting the list of the commissioner nominees during its plenary, the House in a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Bosso constituency, Hon. Malik Madaki Bosso argued that the schedule of the house is so tight that very important matters are numerous and have long being pending for legislative actions and refusal to attend to them will draw the state far backward.

In addition, he stated that “it will be more suitable and convenient if the screening of the nominated commissioners is carried out at a period the house will conduct such assignment or task within a continuous period of time”.

The House therefore unanimously resolved that “the list of the nominated Commissioners submitted to this house for screening and confirmation is hereby returned to the Executive Governor of Niger state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello to be resubmitted when we are done with our pending assignment”.

The House noted that it action was in the interest of the state and in compliance with the provision of section 192, subsection 5 that the list be sent back to the Executive Governor.

Saka Bolaji, Minna