Abubakar Luggerewo and Saddam Bello, both of the All Progressives Congress have emerged as Speaker and Deputy of the Gombe State House of Assembly respectively.
Luggerewo was the speaker in the just concluded sixth Assembly after the impeachment of Sadiq Kurba.
Addressing journalists at his conference room after he was sworn in, Luggerewo lauded his colleagues for the confidence reposed in him to lead them in the newly inaugurated assembly.
He said the honour would not be taken for granted, promising to discharge his responsibility with utmost respect and fairness.
He said, “We are all honourable members and each and everyone is entitled to be the Speaker but they entrusted me and gave me that mandate to lead the affairs of the house.
“This is high responsibility which I believe I will do all my best to do justice to the confidence or to the responsibility given to me. They are all aware that the House of Assembly is a complex institution where you are leading your peers, we came from various constituencies and everyone is entitled to his own opinion but they gathered together and agreed that I should emerge unopposed that is a very great, humble decision.”
Speaking about his challenges in the last assembly and how he intends to pilot the house in the current legislative year Luggerewo said he would consolidate on the gains of the assembly.
“We passed almost 42 bills and more than 175 resolutions during the period of four years and I’m sure with their support and cooperation most especially with this vibrant Deputy Speaker behind me I’m sure we will do more and more.
“The governor is also working hand in hand with the three arms I’m sure they will give me the necessary support to promote unity, harmony and improve the development achievements of this government. We are optimistic that this seventh Assembly is going to be better than the sixth,” he said.
On the claim that the previous assembly was a rubber stamp to the executive, Luggerewo debunked the allegation, adding “That statement is not very correct you have been with us in the sixth assembly, there was no bill that wasn’t subjected to public hearing, there was no bill that we didn’t put our input. Rubber stamp means garbage in, garbage out but the sixth assembly was not a rubber stamp. We will perform our task of checks and balances and separation of powers.”