It was a record-setting, drama, and emotional valedictory seating as the 9th Niger State House of Assembly concluded their fourth legislative year.
At the seating that made it the total record of 220th for 2022/2023 session, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, said the 9th Assembly has set a record of passing 66 bills into law, which was the highest ever in the state.
The speaker however decried the rate at which members come and go every four years, adding that the situation may not allow the legislative arm of government to grow as it was supposed to.
He suggested that parties, whether the ruling party or the opposition, should devise a mechanism to allow members to stay in the House for a long time to garner more experience as legislative matters are very serious business that can not be undermined in nation building. He expressed concern over the fact that out of the 27 of the state members of the Assembly, only two were coming back.
The Speaker also advocated that the incoming 10th Assembly should set a clause that will give the leadership of the House, especially, the office of the speaker protection to avoid incessant impeachment and also give the speaker a fair hearing if impeachment was inevitable.
Earlier, the member representing Borgu, Hon. Abbas Muhammed opened the floor for the valedictory session and asked the lawmakers to forgive one another, while that of Mokwa, Hon. Abdullahi Gbara urged his colleagues to extend the good relationship they have been able to established beyond the office and be each other’s brothers’ keeper.
The only woman in the House, Hon. Binta Mamman, representing Gurara Constituency, said she joined politics by fate, disclosing that it was her father that the people asked to represent them but due to some challenges, her father asked her to go instead with a strong warning to represent her people well and never betray the family name which she said she was able to maintain as constituency projects were delivered to the best of her ability which were well appreciated.
One of the only two members returning to the 10th Assembly, Hon. Engr Haruna Alhaji Mohammed, representing Bida South, said it was going to be tough for the two of them left out of the 27 members of the ninth Assembly, as the majority of the new members would need an ample time to learn the legislative process.
He said he was optimistic that it was not the end for the outgoing members as he believed some of them would have appointments at the national level or maybe at the House for screening and confirmation for an appointment.
In his closing remarks, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, while appreciating the staff of the Assembly, apologized to Nigerlites who might have felt offended in the course of carrying out their duties.