Speakers’ confab lauds NASS intervention in Edo, Bauchi assembly crises

The Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Mudashiru Obasa, has commended the National Assembly for its intervention to resolve the crises rocking the Edo and Bauchi state Houses of Assembly.

Obasa, who is also the speaker of the Lagos state House of Assembly, made the commendation in a statement he personally issued on Sunday in Lagos.

He said the conference welcomes the recent resolve of the Senate and the House of Representatives to intervene in the squabble at the state assemblies. According to him, the speakers’ conference is not concerned about who becomes the speaker of a state assembly, but that the process through which such an individual emerges must be in line with the rule of law.

“Every legislature in Nigeria has a House rule that must be followed by members and without undue external interference. The Nigerian constitution stipulates how the legislative arm of government should function as well as the role of its members.

“We stand by our position not to recognise any speaker that does not emerge following the business rules of the affected House of Assembly. We also call on the ruling political parties in Edo and Bauchi states to step into the crises in the states for democracy to thrive,” the chairman said.

Obasa appealed to Governors Godwin Obaseki and Bala Mohammed of Edo and Bauchi states, respectively, to know their limits in relation to the other arms of government in their respective states as dictated by the constitution.