Kaduna Assembly Suspends Screening Of Ex-commissioner

Three petitions prevented the screening of the immediate past Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs Maria Dogo, as a cabinet nominee at the weekend in Kaduna State.

Gov. Patrick Yakowa had forwarded Dogo’s name along with 23 others to the state legislature for screening and confirmation as members of his new cabinet.

But The Tide learnt  that the House was forced to skip Dogo’s name during the screening because of three petitions received from her Chikun Local Government constituency.

The Clerk of the House, Hajiya Ummah Aliyu, read out the petitions received from three different interest groups in the area against Dogo’s nomination.

She announced that the petitioners were the Gbagyi Development Association, Hausa/Fulani Association at Sabuwar Gayam and Kabilu Community Forum in the area.

Consequently, the members could not screen the nominee based on the strength of the petitions.

She was lined up as number six after Mr Patrick Maigari on the row for the exercise, but was skipped in favour of Mr Jonathan Kish.

Dogo was later excused to consult with the Majority Leader of the House, Mr David Umaru, for advice.

The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Mu’azu Gangara, announced at the end of the process that the petitions would be referred to the House Committee on Public Petitions for adjudication.

The committee was mandated to report back to the House within one week.