The Gombe State House of Assembly has passed into law a bill seeking for the establishment of a joint project development agency.
The State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya had sent the bill which which will allow for execution of Local Government projects by the proposed agency.
Periscope
gathered that the house during 4th February 2020, sitting after deliberations, referred the bill to the joint committee for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Judiciary for further scrutiny and to report back in six weeks.
On Thursday afternoon during its sitting and just before the passage of the bill, Hon. Rambi Ayala Billiri East (PDP), chairman on Judiciary who is a major opponent of the bill described the bill as anti-democratic, anti-people, and which goes contrary to President Muhammadu Buhari’s directives to the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit to ensure that the funds that belong to the Local Governments go directly to the Local Governments.
He said the bill goes contrary to section seven of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and called on his colleagues to jettison the bill and then walked out of the chamber.
“I will not be surprised if it was not doctored somewhere and that it must be passed.
“I am sure that if Mr. President sees this report, he will be so sad to hear that after his efforts, this is what is we are having in Gombe State House of Assembly. I have said the position of my people in Billiri, we are not a party to this and if the bill is passed, they will take the next step even if it means challenging it in court.
“I have interacted with my colleagues and a good number of them are not in support of the bill but they are afraid to take a stand,” he stated.
However, Speaker of the House, Abubakar Sadiq Ibrahim, after listening to contributions from members, some of whom supported the bill called for its passage after the third reading which was done by 17 out of the 24 member House including the Speaker.
Mr. Musa Buba, (APC) Balanga North Constituency moved that the House pass the bill and which was seconded by Adamu Saleh Pata, (APC) Yamaltu East Constituency.
According to a report presented to the House by the House joint committee for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the Judiciary, Rambi Ayala, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, his deputy and two others refused to append their signatures in the report that had seven members.
According to him, he does not know where the report emanated from. “It must have been doctored.”
Also, two out of the seven members of the committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs refused to sign the report presented to the House.