The only member of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP elected into the Niger State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abdullahi Yahaya would be inaugurated next week by the Speaker Alhaji Abdullahi Bawa Wuse. Abdullahi Yahaya who won the election for Agaie State Assembly seat was not inaugurated along with others following the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withhold his certificate of return on the allegation that his victory was announced under “duress”. Abdullahi Yahaya had to approach the court to retrieve his mandate resulting in the court declaring the action of INEC illegal and directing that the electoral body should issue him with the certificate of return which was complied with three weeks ago.
Despite the issuance of the certificate of return to Abdullahi Yahaya he could not be inaugurated as a member of the house resulting in days of protests by his supporters and admirers in his constituency as a result of which the major roads leading into and out of Agaie town were blocked. Business activities in the town were also completely paralysed forcing the police to deploy armed men to the area to restore law and order.
The supporters had accused the ruling All Progressives Congress APC and the leadership of the assembly of deliberately refusing to swear in Abdullahi Yahaya to become the only minority member in the 27 man legislature . However the Speaker of the House Alhaji Abdullahi Bawa Wuse has assured that the Agaie lawmaker will be inaugurated next week.
