Bauchi speaker emerges new chairman of speakers conference

Hon. Abubakar Suleiman

By OZIEGBE OKOEKI

The Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Hon. Abubakar Suleiman has been elected as the new chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria.

Suleiman takes over from the speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa who has served out his tenure.

The constitution of the conference stipulates a two-year term of office for its elected leadership which rotates between the north and the southern part of Nigeria.

At a meeting held at Reiz Continental Hotel in Abuja late Thursday, Obasa, who, in 2018, took over from the Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Ismail Kamba, formally handed over to Suleiman, who is now saddled with leading the conference for the next two years.

Other members of the committee include:

1. Deputy Chairman (Speaker Delta), Hon Sheriff Oborevwori
2. Treasurer (Speaker Kogi) Hon Matthew Kolawole
3. Financial Secretary (Speaker Enugu) Hon Edward Ubosi
4. Vice-Chair, North West (Speaker Katsina) Hon Tasiu Musa Maigari
5. Vice Chair, North East (Speaker Gombe) Hon Sadiq Ibrahim Abubakar
6. Vice-Chair, North Central (Speaker Plateau) Hon Abok Nuhu Ayuba
7. Vice-Chair, South West (Speaker Ogun) Hon Olakunle Oluomo
8. Vice-Chair, South East (Speaker Ebonyi) Hon Nwifuru Francis
9. Vice-Chair, South-South (Speaker Akwa Ibom) Hon Aniekan Bassey

Obasa’s tenure saw the push for financial autonomy for state legislatures and the judiciary as well as cooperation with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve this.

Recall that President Buhari, on May 22, 2020, signed Executive Order 10 for the implementation of the financial autonomy after a committee report concerning the issue was handed over to him. (The Nation)