Assembly recalls six suspended members

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly on Tuesday recalled six suspended members of the house from their six-month-old suspension.
The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, announced the lifting of the suspension after the submission of the report of the assembly’s ad hoc committee that investigated the suspended members.
The report was submitted by Alhaji Mohammed Alkali on the floor of the House.
The House had on April 4 suspended Kassim Mohammed-Kassim, Murtala Sodangi, Mohammed Okpoku and Musa Ali.
Others were Makpa Malla and Abubakar Kana.
The lawmakers were suspended over allegations of bribery and corruption they levelled against the other members of the House.
The Speaker said: “If we recall, on April 4, 2016, a misunderstanding ensued between the members of the house which led to the suspension of six of our members over allegation of bribery and corruption against the house.
“On August16, an ad hoc investigation committee called for a round table discussion with the six suspended members in which the six suspended members unanimously apologised to the committee.
“The ad hoc committee resolved and recommended as follows that to err is human and to forgive is divine, having realised their misgivings and apologised.
“The house should accept their apologies in the spirit of legislative brotherhood and exercise its plenary powers in their favour.”
Balarabe-Abdullahi said the committee report recommended that all the allowances of the suspended lawmakers be paid to them.
The Majority Leader and member representing Awe North on the platform of All Progressives Congress, Tanko Tunga, moved the motion for the lifting of the suspension.
The Minority Leader and member representing Lafia North, Mohammed Ibrahim-Alkali, seconded the motion for the lifting of the suspension.
The House unanimously agreed that the suspended lawmakers return to the House in the spirit of legislative brotherhood.
The speaker then directed the Clerk of the House to communicate the resolution of the house directing the suspended lawmakers to resume on October 17.
The house also confirmed Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, the former Secretary to the State Government, as a member of the Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission.