Fresh crisis looms in Nasarawa House of Assembly over Majority Leader position

A potential leadership crisis is brewing in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly over the position of the Majority Leader, currently held by Suleiman Yakubu Azara of the All Progressives Congress, APC, representing Awe South constituency.

The controversy stems from the replacement of Adamu Omadefu of the APC, representing Keana constituency, who previously held the position.

Omadefu’s election to the 7th Assembly was declared inconclusive in November 2023 by the Court of Appeal, which ordered a rerun in five polling units in the Agaza ward of the constituency.

Following the rerun election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Omadefu emerged victorious and was sworn in for a second term.

However, some APC stakeholders, allegedly backed by a former Speaker of the Assembly, are demanding that Azara vacate the position of Majority Leader, claiming that the position had been zoned to Keana constituency.

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With the support of some Assembly members, the stakeholders have threatened to effect a leadership change in the Assembly if their demand was not met.

They accused the current Speaker, Danladi Jatau of Kokona West constituency, of reneging on an agreement that led to his emergence as Speaker following the sacking of his predecessor, Ibrahim Abdullahi Balarabe, for electoral malpractice.