The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has stepped down the screening of Yakubu Kwanta, a commissioner-nominee and close ally of Governor Abdullahi Sule.
Kwanta, the immediate past Commissioner for Environment, had refused to honour the Assembly invitation to defend the ministry’s 2024 budget, reports The Nation.
Lawmakers described his actions as an act of insubordination to an institution that had screened and confirmed him as Commissioner twice.
Speaker Rt. Hon. Danladi Jatau stepped down the screening after Hon. Muhammed Adamu Omadefu, representing Keana Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, raised the issue during the screening at the Assembly complex in Lafia.
The Speaker stated that the House would only consider Kwanta for screening if he sent a strong apology letter for his indiscipline and insubordination while serving as Commissioner for the Ministry of Environment.
The Speaker suspended Kwanta’s screening while the other seven commissioner-nominees proceeded with their screenings during the House proceedings.
He said that the Assembly would not allow any government officials to undermine the powers of the House.
“Hon Yakubu Kwanta should send a strong apology letter to the House over his action when he served as commissioner before we will think of considering him or not for the screening,” he said.
Earlier, Hon Mohammed Adamu Omadefu, the chairmen of the House Committee on Housing and Environment cited various constitutional provisions that banned a nominee from appearing in the hallowed Chamber for screening.
“Hon Speaker and my Honourable colleagues, the nominee, Hon. Yakubu Kwanta, the immediate past Commissioner for Environment during our oversight functions, failed to appear before our committee to defend his ministry budget.
“For his failure to appear before this House to explain why he failed to defend his ministry’s budget performance, he should tender a strong apology before we consider him to appear in this hallowed chamber for screening” he said.
On their parts, Hon. Mohammed Garba Isimbabi, Hon Ajegana Jacob Kudu and Hon. Hudu A Hudu also supported the submission of Hon Omadefu and called for an apology from Hon. Yakubu Kwanta to save the integrity of the House.
They said that for Hon. Kwanta to fail to appear to defend his ministry budget, he has disrespected not only the committee but the entire House, stressing no individual can be greater or allowed to undermine the institution.
However, the House has screened 7 out of the 16 commissioner nominees submitted by Governor Abdullahi Sule last two weeks for approval as Members of the State Executive Council.
“We hereby screened Hon Umar Tanko Tunga from Awe LGA, Dr John DW Mamman from Kokona LGA, Hajiya Munirat Abdullahi from Doma LGA, Mr Gabriel Agbashi from Doma LGA, Barr Isaac Danladi from Karu LGA, Princess Margret Itaki Elayo from Keana LGA and Dr Ibrahim Tanko from Keffi LGA,” he said.
