The fate of Hon. Bello Agwara, a former deputy speaker and four-time member of the Niger State House of Assembly, to become a commissioner now hangs in the balance as the Niger State House of Assembly steps down his screening amidst allegations of betrayal and breach of trust.
Agwara, who represented Agwara Local Government Area, was accused of using his position as a former lawmaker to obtain sensitive documents from the House and use them to sue the institution in court without exhausting internal mechanisms.
This move, it was gathered, was seen as a betrayal of the oath of office he took as a former member and deputy speaker.
The Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Mohammed Abubakar, led the charge against Agwara during the screening session at the Assembly Complex in Minna, as he cited his “many sins” against the House.
Hon. Abubakar questioned Agwara’s trustworthiness, claiming that Agwara cannot be relied upon with a public office as sensitive as the office of commissioner.
The members of the House, who echoed the same position as Abubakar, alleged that Agwara’s actions were contrary to his oath of office and that it would be a disservice to the House if he were screened as commissioner.
They also raised concerns about his membership status with the All Progressives Congress, APC, alleging that he had not properly defected from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
As the debate raged on, it became clear that Agwara’s nomination was doomed from the start.
Consequently, after heated debates on the nominee, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, waded into the matter and referred it to an executive session for further deliberation.
Shortly after the screening session, the embattled nominee met with the lawmakers in the Speaker’s office.
The outcome of the executive session is eagerly awaited, as it will determine the fate of Agwara’s nomination and his chances of becoming a commissioner under Governor Bago’s administration.
