- About six members of the Kaduna House of Representatives have said that they are not in support of the $350m loan request pushed by their supposed caucus leader, Datti Babawo
- The members said that they never discussed any such request with Babawo, much less approved it
- The Senate also rejected the request owing to the objection of the members to Babawo's move
Not less than Six members of the House of Representatives from Kaduna state have reportedly dissociated themselves from the position of Datti Babawo, their caucus leader, that they support the state obtaining a $350 million from the World Bank.
The Senate objected to the loan request by the government from the World Bank owing to a similar rejection by three members of the Senate from the state.
However, Babawo remarked that one member of the House supported the loan request. In response to this, the six members alleged that leader spoke in his personal capacity and not for the caucus, The Nation reports.
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The members, who signed the statement included Jagaba Adams Jagaba – Kachia/Kagarko; Lucas Gwani – Kaura; Simon Yakubu Arabo -Kauru; Nicholas Shehu Garba – Jema’a/Sanga; Sunday Marshall Katung – Jaba/Zangon- Kataf and Muhammad Musa Soba – Soba.
They stated: “Our attention has been drawn to stories making the rounds in some national Dailies, televisions and social media alleging that 15 members of the House of Representatives from Kaduna State have faulted the Senate’s disapproval of a $350 million World Bank loan requested by the Kaduna state government.
“The news said that the Leader of the Kaduna State House of Reps Caucus, Hon. Datti Babawo (representing Sabon Gari Federal Constituency, Kaduna State), stated that all the 15 members out of 16 actually approved the $350 million loan for the state because of the enormous benefits the state would derive from it.
“First and foremost, the Kaduna State Caucus in the House of Reps has not elected a leader. It is, therefore, strange for Datti Babawo to arrogate such powers to himself.
“Secondly, as members of House of Reps from Kaduna State, we never at any given time met to discuss the $350 million loan, let alone taking a decision on it.
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“Thirdly, we operate a bicameral legislature in Nigeria, and to that extent, the House of Reps has no business questioning the decision(s) of the Senate. Both chambers operate independently and have mutual respect for each other in the spirit of the Constitution.
"In disapproving the loan, therefore, the Senate acted within its constitutional powers. It is clear mischief and sheer ignorance for Hon. Datti to cast aspersion on the institution of the Senate.”
Earlier, NAIJ.com reported that members of the House of Representatives from the state had faulted the Senate for declining to approve the $350m World Bank loan facility being sought by the state government.
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Source: Naija.ng