The Bauchi State Government has suspended the inauguration of the state 9th Assembly till June 20, the acting Clerk of the Assembly, Umar Gital, has said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inauguration was scheduled to hold today, June 17.
Gital who issued a statement in Bauchi on Monday, did not give any reason for the postponement, but said they regret all inconveniences caused to members and the general public.
However in a swift reaction, the All Progressives Congress (APC) faulted the postponement, saying it was unconstitutional.
The State Secretary of the party, Alhaji Bako Hussaini, said in a statement that Nigeria’s Constitution did not empower a state Governor to suspend assembly’s inauguration after a proclamation.
According to him, the action of the government was therefore undemocratic, null and void.
He added that APC has a clear majority in the 9th Assembly in the state with 22 members as against the ruling PDP with eight members, as such it “will not fold its arms to allow the ruling party do anything contrary to the Constitution of Nigeria.”
The APC scribe therefore called on security agencies to advise Gov. Bala Mohammed to stop interfering with the affairs of the Assembly and reinstate its former Clerk who was removed few days to the inauguration.