There seems to be no end in sight to the leadership crisis rocking the Plateau state house of Assembly.
Our correspondent reports that the impeached Speaker Ayuba Abok was not comfortable with the agreements reached.
The reconciliation meeting called on Friday evening at the instance of the AIG in charge of Zone Four, comprising Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa State commands, Mustapha Dandaura failed to produce any agreement.
Impeached Speaker, Abok Ayuba and eleven other lawmakers were the first to arrive at the Police officers mess, Jos venue of the meeting at about 3:50 pm before the newly posted Commissioner of Police, CP Bartholomew Nnamdi Onyeka came in thereafter.
Speaker Yakubu Sanda and eleven other lawmakers came in 20 minutes later before the AIG arrived to start the proceedings. Journalists were ordered out of the hall.
The meeting ended about 2 hours later as all the parties involved took turns to address waiting for reporters.
First to Speak was Hon. Abok Ayuba commended the AIG for calling the meeting but was quick to say nothing has changed.
He said he remains Speaker.
The impeached speaker Abok said, while colleagues are open to peaceful resolution of the impasse, he was quick to point out that from all indications due process was not followed all we are saying is that the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria should be respected”
Hon. Abok said all his security details have been withdrawn and that “they have provided security to the speaker so I don’t have security now so I’m going into hiding”
The Newly elected Speaker, Hon Yakubu Sanda for his part said, he was excited to see his colleagues again insisting that “there is no meaningful development that can take place without peace”
Hon. Sanda said he was the legitimate speaker of the Plateau state house of assembly and extended an olive branch to the six members that were suspended adding that “if they feel remorse about that actions we are ready to welcome them back”,
AIG Dandaura said the house of Assembly will remain sealed until the lawmakers are able to iron out their differences.
He said this is the first time we are meeting since that problem started and we are happy all the warring factions have expressed their own opinion and we have told them that this should not be the end of this meeting they should go back to their various locations to convene another meeting”
The AIG revealed that the Police is willing to re-open the assembly if and only when the two sides present a workable solution to the present stalemate.
AIG Danduara advised the lawmakers to quickly resolve their differences so that legislative business can resume at the house.
He assured the lawmakers that as a professional law enforcement agency, they will remain apolitical and neutral in handling the crisis.
The leadership tussle in the house started on Thursday 28th October when 16 out of the 24 lawmakers purportedly Impeached the speaker, Nuhu Abok, and replaced him with Hon. Yakubu Sanda. – ThisNigeria.
