There are strong indications that the incumbent Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Suleiman will retain his seat when the House is proclaimed by the Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir.
Information has that the 10th Assembly will be proclaimed by the governor on Tuesday, 20th June 2023, and the 9th Assembly ended today, 19th June 2023.
Feelers from the Assembly among members-elect indicated that the path has been cleared for Abubakar Y Suleiman to emerge as the Speaker again as the only person who indicated an interest in the seat, has withdrawn his interest.
A source closed to the Assembly revealed that all the members-elect irrespective of their political parties, met over the weekend after the burial of the late Ado Wakili, the member of the House who died on Friday.
The source revealed further that, the members-elect were unanimous in their support for Suleiman to be reelected as the Speaker of Speaker of the 10th Assembly.
Further findings revealed that it was a gentleman agreement between the Speaker, Abubakar Sulaiman and the governor that should the two of them be reelected, the status quo will be maintained.
It was on that premise that Suleiman dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC), under which he was elected in 2019 for the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Suleiman was said to have tried politically and ensured that the PDP broke the stronghold of the APC in Ningi LGA by ensuring that the party won the two seats of the State House of Assembly.
Another member-elect from Bauchi LGA who did not want his name in print disclosed that for now, Suleiman is the most qualified for the speakership of the assembly considering his performance in the 9th Assembly.
He stressed that going by the visible achievements recorded under his leadership, there was no need to change him for another person.
The Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed had at various fora, expressed his readiness to continue to work with the Abubakar Y Suleiman as the Speaker of the 10th Assembly considering the support the Assembly under him accorded his administration even when he was in the APC.
Most of the members-elect who spoke with Tribune Online are of the option that now that the PDP has the majority in the Assembly, there is a need to support the Executive arm by ensuring that Suleiman returned as the Speaker of the 10th Assembly.
Recall that, the indication that Abubakar Y Suleiman will retain his seat was given during the valedictory plenary session of the Assembly held penultimate Thursday.
While speaking during the valedictory plenary, a former Speaker of Assembly, Kawuwa Shehu Damina was quoted saying, “You may be reelected as Speaker, you should learn from your mistakes, use your experience, what can be pardoned in your first term will not be forgiven in the second term. Try your best, see the development of the incoming ones.”
The clerk to the Assembly, Barr Gital has issued a notice that the Assembly will be proclaimed by the State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir on Tuesday, 20th June, 2023 at the Assembly complex.
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