The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has halted the screening process of Yakubu Kwanta, a commissioner nominee and former commissioner for the Ministry of Environment, due to his failure to appear before a committee to defend the ministry’s 2024 budget performance.
Speaker of the Assembly, Danladi Jatau, announced the suspension on Monday in Lafia following a motion raised by Muhammed Omafefu (APC-Keana), the chairman of the House Committee on Environment, during the ongoing commissioner-nominee screening.
Omafefu emphasized that the Assembly would not tolerate any government official undermining its authority as the legislative body responsible for lawmaking.
He insisted that Kwanta should submit a formal apology to the House for his actions while he was commissioner, or else his eligibility for screening would be reconsidered.
Supporting the motion, lawmakers such as Mohammed Isimbabi, Ajegana Kudu, and Hudu Hudu also called for an apology, asserting that a written apology would uphold the integrity of the Assembly and serve as a deterrent to others.
In the meantime, the Assembly has successfully screened and approved seven out of the 16 commissioner nominees submitted by Governor Abdullahi Sule on February 10.
The approved nominees include Umar Tanko-Tunga (Awe LGA), Dr. John Mamman (Kokona LGA), Munirat Abdullahi (Doma LGA), Gabriel Agbashi (Doma LGA), Isaac Danladi (Karu LGA), Margret Elayo (Keana LGA), and Ibrahim Tanko (Keffi LGA).
The Speaker congratulated the approved nominees and urged them to carry out their duties with integrity and in service to the people.