Members of Niger State House of Assembly have drawn a battle line with the state governor, Abubakar Bello.
The conflict started on Wednesday when Mr Bello denied the lawmaker access to the state government house when they visited to witness the swearing-in of new commissioners for the state.
The lawmakers were said to have arrived the venue late and were prevented from entering the government house on the orders of the state governor.
Addressing journalists, the lawmakers who arrived in a coaster bus vowed that henceforth they will not attend any state function holding at the seat of power until they serve out their tenure.
“It is an embarrassment for the state, and to us, the members, for them to have denied us entry into the Government House when other people who had no business of being there were allowed in,” Mohammed Lokogoma, one of the lawmaker said.
“I and other lawmakers have vowed never to go into Government House again, no matter the function that is being held there. We will never ever enter into Government House again,” Mr Lokogoma said.
Another aggrieved lawmaker, Madaki Bosso, said the reason given for preventing them from gaining access to the venue was not tenable as the event was yet to start when they arrived.
“They said we were late.Are we students? Mr Bosso queried.
“It is only students that you tell that they are late. As a member of the state Assembly, you tell me I am late?
“Do they have timing in Government House? Do they have time for who should come when and how? When we got there, the event was yet to begin. So how are we late?
“It is very embarrassing and the only way I would avoid this embarrassment would be to advice myself to avoid going to the Government House,” he added.
Meanwhile, the governor was said to have sent his deputy, Ahmed Ketso, to plead with the lawmakers when he learnt of their resolution.
Mr Kesto could not meet with the legislators who reportedly shunned efforts of the number two citizen of the state to reconcile his principal with the aggrieved lawmakers
