By Segun Awofadeji in Gombe
The submission of commissioners’ nominees list by Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo to the Gombe State House of Assembly eleven months after his inauguration for a second term is causing fracas among members.
Deliberations on the much-awaited commissioners list in the office of the Speaker were disrupted during the House pre-sitting session last Thursday afternoon when tempers rose as a result of disagreement, resulting in the inability of the House to have their normal sitting.
THISDAY checks revealed that Governor Dankwambo sent a list of nominees to the House containing several old hands who served during his first tenure and previous administrations, which did not go down well with the members.
But in a telephone interview, majority leader of the House, Hon. Amos Fabulous who confirmed the development however said there was no crisis in the House within the members but that they only refused to deliberate on the list due to the absence of a name from Kwami Kwami Local Government.
Speaking to reporters in Hausa, Hon. Fabulous said “we did not proceed with our sitting because we would have preferred to see a name from Kwami Local Government before we can sit and deliberate.” He did not however confirm whether the list was with the members of the House or it was returned.
A source in the State House of Assembly who preferred anonymity disclosed to reporters that the pre-sitting session ended in rancour Thursday afternoon, adding that the heated argument did not favour the Speaker, Hon Nasiru Abubakar Nono, who was alleged to be defending the Governor.
According to the source, most of the members came out of the meeting with expressions of anger and displeasure over the attitude of the Speaker as they went straight to their cars. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the official sitting days of the House.
When contacted, Chairman of the ruling PDP’s Elders Forum in the State, Alhaji Adamu Danjarida said he was not aware of any rancour or disagreement within the party nor in the State Assembly where the party is the majority. He said no one has reported or complained to him.
He stated however that members of the House may agree and disagree as they may all have different interests.
It was also gathered that the State Governor in preparation for the submission of the list of nominees to the House, had a meeting with stakeholders of the PDP in Government House which lasted late in the night on Wednesday.
