Niger lawmakers revolt, suspend plenary over ‘unresolved issues’ with executive
Niger State House of Assembly Suspends Plenary Sessions Indefinitely
The Niger State House of Assembly suspended its plenary sessions indefinitely on Tuesday due to unresolved issues with the state executive. The decision followed a motion introduced by Mohammed Abubakar, representing Chanchaga Constituency, shortly after proceedings began.
Abubakar emphasized that the suspension was necessary until the outstanding matters between the legislative and executive branches were resolved. He indicated that ignoring these issues could undermine the Assembly’s credibility and negatively affect future legislators.
While Abubakar refrained from disclosing specific details during the session, he argued that inaction would amount to a neglect of legislative duties. His motion received support from Dr. Abdulrahman Gambo of Borgu Constituency.
However, the proposal faced opposition from Jibrin Ndagi Baba of Lavun Constituency, who argued that halting plenary was unwarranted since the House had already reconvened for its business that day. Baba suggested that the issues should be addressed in an executive session.
The disagreement led to a heated exchange among lawmakers, briefly disrupting proceedings. Speaker Abdulmalik Sarkindaji intervened, urging members to remain calm and handle the matter with restraint.
After deliberations, a voice vote was conducted, with the majority of lawmakers favoring the suspension of plenary. The Assembly then resolved to retire into an executive session to discuss the issues and establish a formal position.
Tensions within the Assembly have been rising following the recent party primaries, which saw only 12 of the 26 All Progressives Congress (APC) members secure return tickets for the upcoming general elections through a consensus arrangement.
