The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has expressed his happiness over the amicable resolution of the leadership crisis that engulfed the Bauchi State House of Assembly.
Gbajabiamila who was in Bauchi on a condolence visit over the demise of the father of Hon. Mansur Manu Soro told the Bauchi State Governor Bala, Mohammed, that leadership at all levels is not about one party.
The Speaker said it was good that both parties in the Bauchi State House of Assembly were able to come together to move the state forward.
“We are here simply to pay a condolence visit to the family of one of our own who has been an integral part of the 9th Assembly from inception or even before inception Honourable Soro.
“When we heard of the incident, just hours ago, it was incumbent upon us to come and visit the family. We will proceed from here to the family house. But we felt it was an important opportunity as well, which we should never let pass apart from protocol to pay a courtesy visit, to also share with you our gladness and happiness to the fact that I see that the seeming crisis that almost engulfed the state some couple of months ago, has now been resolved.
“I’m also happy that it wasn’t without the intervention of the House of representative. I want to encourage your Excellency that you are doing wonderfully well, so far in terms of how you’ve been able to carry all your members along and the whole state. But I’m encouraged that the spirits that we in the national- House of Representatives, 9th Assembly have carried on, on the platform of a joint task, between all parties and all tendencies, that you do the same. I’m happy, I’m glad to see that that is happening already in Bauchi State.
“Governance is not for one person or one party; governance is all about everybody, not just doing the political parties, but even the people,” the Speaker said.
Responding, Governor Mohammed thanked the Speaker for deeming it fit to visit him in Government House Bauchi even though he was in the state for a condolence visit.
“I must also use this opportunity to thank you sincerely, the leadership of the 9th Assembly and members of the House of Representatives who are in the vanguard of making sure that they add their contributions to making Bauchi a good place for governance.
“We have had some problems with the assembly and your prompt action shows your proactiveness, the kind of the new face of leadership in Nigeria. We did not only persecute or shut down because of partisan grievance, but you are able to do it with so much capacity in terms of making sure that both parties come to the drawing table and we agreed and resolved the issue through your good intervention.
“We thank you more sincerely. We want to place in our record that we will never forget the House of Representatives for this intervention.”
Thereafter, the Governor accompanied the Speaker on the condolence visit to the family of the hon. Mansur Manu Soro
The Speaker also used the opportunity of the condolence visit to pay a courtesy call on the Emir of Bauchi, his Royal Highness Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu.
Signed:
Lanre Lasisi
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Nigeria.