Bashir Opaluwa Idris
The Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf says the present lawmakers will not fold their arms and allow any political office holder or individual ridicule the chamber as an institution.
Aliyu stated this on Wednesday while fielding questions from Assembly correspondents when the embattled Coordinator, Kogi State Social Investment Programme, Hajiya Aishat Oyiza Omade finally honoured the Assembly invitation after several months of defiance.
The Speaker noted that the Assembly under his watch will never be subjected to ridicules, adding that, the present eight Assembly remains committed in protecting the legislative arm of government without fear or favor.
“She was not even qualified to appear before all of us. It must be a serious issue before such can happen. By the report we received from the committee, she seems not be available after several invitations. The report was brought to the house and the lawmakers have to come together in protecting the committee by compelling her to come.
“The objective of our pronouncement on Tuesday was achieved. Any officer irrespective of the office you are occupying in Kogi State can be invited. She has come and we have admonished her to always work in accordance to the law.
“She can not be bigger than the committee. What we have achieved is to allow them take charge of what they want her to do. Let it be on record that there is no petition against her or infractions committed before now.
He maintained that the committee has the legislative duties backed by law to carry out their oversight function for the purpose of good governance in Kogi State.
“If she had failed to appear today, the world will see what would have happened. I don’t want to be one person that will wade any provision of the constitution to any officer in the State. We must do right thing by obeying the constitution governing us. We where the one that screened her here. So, why is she evading the house invitation?
Recall that the lawmaker on Tuesday threatened to issue a bench warrant of arrest against Omade if she failed to appear before the house on 7th May, 2025.
Omade was accused of failing to appear before the house adhoc standing committee on special duties, legislative compliance, Government House Administration and Governor office headed by the Majority leader of the house and member representing Okene One Constituency, Hon. Suleiman Abdulrazak.
