Niger Lawmakers Stall Screening Of Commissioner Nominees’ List

…Insist On 30% Christian Nominees

Niger State House of Assembly have stalled the screening of commissioner nominees list forwarded to the House by Governor Umar Bago, saying that “only three Christians out of the thirty names is not fair enough”.

The lawmakers it was gathered met during the weekend and questioned the unfairness in the list owing that only 10% of Christians made it.

It would be recalled that the Speaker of the Niger Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji had summon the State lawmakers to an emergency meeting.

The lawmakers, our Correspondent reliably gathered have suspended the screening of the Commissioner nominees list until there is an adjustment to scale it up to at least twenty five percent of Christians.

One of the lawmakers representing Lavun Constituency, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Baba Dabban while speaking at the Annual State Convention of the Women Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Niger state chapter in Kutigi, Lavun local government area, said “Christians and Muslims in the State are one. We (Lawmakers) have asked that the list be adjusted.”

The list has Elizabeth Shaba from Paikoro, Ibrahim Mami Ijah from Tafa and Mourice Magaji from Munya as the only Christians.

According to him “when we received the list, we looked at it and discovered that there is no iota of guidance. And we, the lawmakers especially the Principal Officers are already making a recommendation that Christians form thirty percent (30%) or at least twenty five percent (25%) of the executive council.

“I personally invited the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Afiniki Eunice Dauda to attend this convention but because of the unfairness in the list, she and others are currently meeting to see that the Governor acts fast.”

“I can assure you by the special grace of God something must change on that list. The truth is that we are not fighting each other but we must tell ourselves the truth.”

While assuring that, the Lawmakers will meet with Governor Bago to act accordingly, Hon. Dabban said “we will advise him, and I know by the special grace of God he has a listening ear and he will listen to us..

“Maybe it was an oversight on the side of the Governor, but we have drawn the attention of His excellency to it so as to look at it in a manner that we will have peaceful coexistence in the State.”

Earlier, the State Chairperson, WOWICAN, Deaconess Deborah Amina Gana had called on the State Governor, Umar Bago to see and treat all Nigerlites as one irrespective of religious, tribal and or political affiliation.

According to Deaconess Gana, “our dear Governor, in your appointment, be fair and just as you promised and assured us before and after you emerged as Governor.

“Let your cabinet be balanced, give Christians a sense of belonging. Out of 30 nominees, we have only two or there Christians. That does not portray fairness; give women a sense of belonging by appointing more women into various positions especially into your cabinet. “