News Investigators/ The Niger Assembly has confirmed the nomination of Ahmed Bello-Agwara as Commissioner, a day after suspending his screening over allegations of unlawfully possessing legislature’s confidential documents.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Assembly had on Tuesday stepped down the screening of the nominee from Agwara Local Government Area following a motion moved by Abubakar Ustaz (APC–Chanchaga), Chief Whip of the House.
Ustaz alleged that the nominee, a former four-term lawmaker, used privileged assembly documents to aid a lawsuit in which the plaintiffs secured judgment against the House during a financial dispute.
He said the court subsequently issued a garnishee order on the assembly’s account, raising concerns about entrusting the nominee with sensitive state information if appointed a commissioner.
Mr Bello-Agwara, who served in the assembly for 16 years under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in May, was among the 30 commissioner-nominees forwarded by Gov. Umaru Bago for confirmation.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, earlier said the nominees were selected based on integrity, competence and commitment to the state’s development.
At the screening of commissioner nominees which resumed during Wednesday plenary, Mohammed Idris (APC–Tafa) told members that the assembly had reviewed the documents presented and interrogated the nominee in an executive session.
He said the earlier suspension was not done on a personal basis but to allow the House to satisfy constitutional obligations and ensure that the issues raised were not injurious to the state.
“We reviewed the documents presented and interrogated the nominee. We did not do that to rubbish him but in the interest of the general public,” he said.
Idris described Agwara as a senior colleague who served the assembly for 16 years, noting that the nominee approached the process with humility and provided all information required.
He then moved the motion for Agwara’s confirmation.
Mr Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, Speaker of the House, thereafter announced that there was a pending motion to confirm the nominee and allowed him to “take a bow and go.”
The motion was seconded by Mohammed Garba (APC–Agwara) and adopted unanimously.
Speaking to journalists after his confirmation, Bello-Agwara, expressed gratitude to Gov. Bago for finding him worthy of nomination and thanked the assembly for reconsidering its decision.
He described the House as “his political home”, adding that the events of the previous day was a misunderstanding.
Agwara said the confirmation process reflected the beauty of democracy and pledged to give his full support to the Bago-led administration.
He assured that he would deliver his best in the service of the state, as the governor had considered him worthy to serve in the cabinet.
NAN