…As Assemblymen get N17m entitlements

By Wole Mosadomi

Minna—The lingering dispute between the Executive and members of the Niger State House of Assembly may have been settled as each of the legislator was alleged to have been paid his outstanding entitlements of about N17 million.

Apart from two members, who were said to be on suspension, every other member of the 25-member Assembly received the money.

The money is said to be part of their allowances which had been pending since February this year.

With the latest development, sanity has finally returned to the House even as policemen drafted to the Assembly premises to prevent the legislators from performing duties have been withdrawn as sitting commenced in earnest under the control of the newly elected Speaker Alhaji Isah Kawu.

The threat by members to impeach the state Governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu has also been dropped, just as  the government also reportedly promised to meet their other remaining demands.

With this development,

Two weeks ago, the lawmakers sacked the leadership of the house and elected new officers over series of allegations ranging from non-implementation of House resolutions, staff and members welfare matters as well as non-release of the statutory allocations to the House for some months then.

Following the desperation of the legislators to impeach Governor Aliyu, the governor had approached the court which gave an injunction restraining the members  from taking any action aimed at impeaching him.