The Speaker of the Auyo Legislative Council, Haruna Maigari, has been suspended by the Jigawa State House of Assembly due to alleged anti-party acts that officials claim jeopardize grassroots unity within the All Progressives Congress.
As the party continues to cope with the aftermath from recent primaries, the decision was made during plenary on Tuesday at the Assembly building in Dutse, the state capital.
The action coincides with a wave of suspensions throughout the Jigawa APC in the wake of the most recent primary election.
Due to alleged anti-party activity, a number of special advisers and special assistants have already been suspended throughout the state, starting at the local government level.
Maigari, who also serves as the council member for Auyo Ward, was suspended following the House’s consideration of a proposal made by Lawan Dansure, the majority leader.
The proposal called for the lawmaker to be disciplined for actions that were thought to be detrimental to party unity.
Dansure encouraged members to approve the suspension when he made the motion during the Assembly’s plenary session on Tuesday.
In order to preserve the integrity of the ruling party before 2027, he argued, the House must take action.
He claims that the Speaker of the Auyo Legislative Council’s activities are harmful to the state’s All Progressives Congress’s cohesion, stability, and advancement.
Dansure informed the House, “His actions are detrimental to the unity, stability, and progress of the All Progressives Congress.”
He contended that anti-party behavior at the local level may hurt the APC’s chances of winning future elections.
Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly Haruna Dangyatin responded to the motion’s adoption by announcing the councillor’s immediate suspension.
He said that when party discipline was being questioned, the House could not stand by.
Dangyatin declared at plenary that “Hon. Haruna Maigari is hereby suspended as Speaker of the Auyo Legislative Council due to alleged anti-party activities.”
The Speaker added that the House is still dedicated to maintaining party discipline at all state governmental levels.
After that, Dangyatin established an investigating committee to look into the situation and provide a report in two weeks.
He stated, “The committee is expected to establish facts and recommend further action based on its findings.”
Additionally, the Speaker ordered the suspended politician to give the Auyo Legislative Council Deputy Speaker all official documents he had.
He stated that in order to maintain council business, the handover needs to be completed right away.
In the meantime, Governor Umar Namadi formally notified the House of an official travel.
The Speaker stated at the Assembly’s plenary session, “The governor is billed to attend a two-day West African Rice Investment Roundtable in Accra, Ghana.”
