The Jigawa State House of Assembly has suspended three local government council chairmen for allegedly travelling to Rwanda while the state was preparing for its 2024 budget presentation without permission.
The lawmakers claimed that the council chairpersons neither sought their permission nor that of the state’s governor, Umar Namadi, before embarking on the trip.
The suspended chairpersons are Mubarak Ahmed of Yankwashi Local Government; Rufai Ahmad of Gumel Local Government; and Umar Baffa of Birniwa Local Government.
The chairman of the assembly’s committee on Local Government Affairs, Aminu Zakari, moved the motion for the suspension of the chairpersons. He was seconded by the member representing Mallammadori, Usman Abdullahi.
The lawmakers lamented the lackadaisical attitudes of the council chairpersons for travelling while their input was needed during the 2024 budget preparation.
“The house had given an order for the local government council chairmen in the state to not travel anywhere due to the preparation of the 2024 state appropriation bill and its presentation to the Assembly by the state Governor, Mallam Umar Namadi.
“The actions of the chairmen are tantamount to insubordination, a nonchalant attitude to the primary responsibility which ought to be investigated and punished according to the law,” the House committee leader said.
Following deliberation on the matter, the lawmakers, in Wednesday’s plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Haruna Aliyu, unanimously approved the suspension of the three local government chairmen and directed their next in authority to take over from them.
The house, subsequently, constituted a committee under the leadership of its majority leader, Lawan Dansure, to investigate the matter and report in four weeks for further action.
According to PREMIUM TIMES, the council chairpersons travelled to Rwanda for unstated reasons. When reached out for comments on Thursday morning, one of the suspended officials, Mr Rufai, did not respond to WhatsApp phone calls and text messages.
Last year, the state’s assembly suspended Mr Ahmad, the council chairman of Yankwashi, for alleged disrespect to the state chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Aminu Kiss-Kiss.
However, the then-governor of the state, Muhammed Badaru, rescinded the decision of the state assembly to suspend Mr Ahmad
