Salisu Maradun, Gusau
Zamfara State House of Assembly which has been shut down and taken over by the police following the eruption of political crisis between the members and the speaker of the House has resumed its legislative activities even though, no reconciliation has been made, investigation by new National Star had revealed.
According to the investigation, the house which was taken over by the police four days ago after 18 out of 24 members unanimously protested against the speaker for his refusal to do what he was elected for, resumed sitting allegedly on the order of the governor of the state to the speaker.
It would be recalled that the members, worried by the increasing insecurity in the state which is claiming the lives of a number of innocent people of the state on a daily basis have been putting pressure on the speaker to call the governor to explain on how he handles the painful issue of insecurity and which he promised earlier to address so that people could sleep with their two eyes closed.
The sitting of the house and its re-opening which has been described as illegal and unconstitutional as only seven out of 24 sat was also nothing as it will only fuel the fire of the crisis.
According to the investigation, the genesis of the crisis was as a result of the refusal of both the governor and speaker to concentrate on how to bring to an end the lingering banditry which has so far consumed thousands of lives of the people.
The sitting which was to have been attended earlier by eight members was reduced to seven following the withdrawal of the 8th member who advised that the sitting will not help in resolving the crisis but instead, the whole members should be called so that the crisis could be amicably resolved once and for all, and which did not go down well with the speaker and subsequently the 8th member left leaving only seven of his colleagues including the embattled speaker.
Our correspondent in the state reliably discovered that as a result of the misunderstanding between the two arms of government, some legislative and executive activities in the state have come to a halt, particularly the house of assembly where even the passers by are scared of going through.
Currently, all the 18 members with exception of the seven that conveyed illegal sitting have left the state since the eruption of the crisis for fear of intimidation even as about four of them have been attacked and injured, one of whom may even lose his life following the degree of injuries he sustained after he was attacked and currently receiving medical treatment at the Usman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto (UDUTH).
Another reliable source told our correspondent that the 18th members who are currently nowhere to be found or seen, still stand by their earlier decision that led to the closure of the house and that they will not listen to anyone until the governor succumbs.