Damina, Panti Emerge Bauchi Assembly Speaker, Deputy as Police Disperse Thugs with Teargas

Members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly (BAHA) have elected Alhaji Dahuwa Shehu Damina, representing Darazo constituency, as the new Speaker of the 8th Assembly.

The new Speaker, who was elected unopposed, pledged to make elected members’ welfare his number one focus.

Damina, former Chairman of Darazo Local Government Area, was nominated by Hon. Yusuf Nuhu representing Lame constituency in Toro Local Govern- ment Area and seconded by Saleh Umar representing Ganjuwa East. The State Assembly also elected unopposed Hon. Abdulmuminu Bala Fanti from Pali constituency as the Deputy Speaker.

The principal officers were sworn-in by the clerk of the House, Abdulkadir Jafar who earlier read a letter from the state Governor, Barrister Mohammed Abubakar citing section 3, subsection 5 of the 1999 Constitution.

In his acceptance speech after being sworn in, the new Speaker thanked his colleagues for the confidence reposed in him and promised to work in harmony with other arms of government for the development of the state.

He said his priorities would be members’ welfare, capacity building and training, maintaining cordial relations with the executive, renovation of the assembly complex and provision of state of the art facilities.

The inauguration was attended by all the three Senators from the state, Ali Wakili (Bauchi South), Nazif Gamawa (North) and Isa Hamma Misau. The current Bauchi State Assembly has only one elected female lawmaker Hon. Maryam Bagel representing Dass Constituency.

The 8th state Assembly has 28 members of APC, two members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and one member of People’s Democratic Movement (PDM).

Meanwhile, there was pandemonium as political thugs invaded the State House of Assembly during the inauguration. Security operatives had a tough time in controlling the thugs who overpowered them, forcing the operatives to use tear gas to disperse the thugs.