Nasarawa Assembly pardons, lifts ban on  suspended council officials

Faith Awa Maji, Lafia

It has also pardoned the Deputy Chairman of Karu Local Government Council, Lawal Yakubu-Karshi for the same offence.

Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, announced this after the House deliberated on a report of the Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate the act of Insubordination by the Executive Chairman of Nasarawa Local Government and the Deputy Chairman of Karu Local Government Council during the House proceedings in Lafia today.

The Speaker said the pardoning of the two Local Government officials by the House followed their acceptance of the offence and apologies when they appeared before the Seven- Man Investigative Committee set aside by the House to investigate their alleged act of insubordination.

According to the Speaker, the  House warned the council officials that the house will monitor them Keenly to ensure that they did not victimise anyone especially among their council members and other opposite supporters.

“What we have done is to correct the wrongs and to respect the system not aimed at tempering with any democratic sitting. It is to serve as deterrent to others,” he said

“The House recommended to the effects that in view of the apology tendered as outright assurances of their utmost loyalty to the Government, the suspended Chairman of Nasarawa LGC, Hon Mohammed Sani Ottos and Deputy Chairman of Karu LGC, Hon Lawal Yakubu Karshi be pardoned and their suspension be lifted.

“To err is humane and to forgive is divine”.

The House resolved that the said suspended Local Government officials are to tender a written apology to Government of Nasarawa State.

“That all public servants in the state be cautioned against any act of insubordination

“That the suspended Local government officials should be asked to resume forthwith, ” he said

Leading the debate on the report, the House Leader, Umar Tanko Tunga commended the committee for a job well done and backed the committee’s recommendations and reasons why the affected officials should be forgiven and all the members who spoke took same position.

It would be recalled that on August 10th this year, Nasarawa State House of Assembly has suspended the affected Local Government officials over insubordination and abuse of office.

The Speaker, then set up a seven man committee to investigate the two affected Local Government officials.

The  members of the committee  to include, Dr. Peter Akwe to serve as Chairman of the committee, Barrister Mohammed Alkali is the Deputy Chairman of the committee while other members of the  committee are, Mohammed Omadefu,  Mohammed Agah Muluku, Aliyu Dogara, Danladi Jatau while the Deputy Clerk of the House Ibrahim Musa is the Secretary of the Committee.