The Speaker of Nasarawa state House of Assemply Hon. Danladi Jatau has said that some of them have accepted the outcome of the APC primaries in good faith, while some of you did not and felt that you have a platform where you will excel. So, I wish you the best of luck in your new platforms, Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dr. Danladi Jatau, said on Tuesday as he announced the defection of two All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers to the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The lawmakers are Hon. Mohammed Adamu Omadefu, representing Keana Constituency, and Hon. Jacob Ajegena Kudu, representing Nasarawa Eggon East Constituency.
Speaker Jatau made the announcement while reading separate resignation letters submitted by the two lawmakers during plenary in Lafia. According to the letters, the legislators attributed their decision to quit the APC to what they described as ill-treatment during the party’s recently concluded primaries in the state.
In a separate development, the House passed for second reading a Bill for a Law to Amend the Nasarawa State Education Trust Fund Law, 2025, and for Other Matters Connected Therewith.
The sponsor of the bill, Hon. Abel Yakubu Bala, said the proposed amendment would enhance revenue generation, create employment opportunities and further improve the standard of education in the state.
The bill received support from Hon. Luka Iliya Zhekaba, Hon. Musa Ibrahim Abubakar, Hon. Solomon Akwashiki and Hon. Larry Ven-Bawa, who argued that its passage would help address unemployment, improve the standard of living of residents and strengthen the education sector.
However, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mohammad Adamu Oyanki, urged the House to prioritise resolving the leadership crisis in the Nasarawa State Education Trust Fund rather than proceeding with amendments to the law.
He maintained that the lingering leadership dispute within the agency required urgent attention and called on the legislature to liaise with the executive arm of government to find a lasting solution.
“The fact remains that there is a serious leadership crisis in the Nasarawa State Education Trust Fund. It is better for the House to liaise with the Executive in order to find a solution to the leadership problem rather than continue with the ongoing amendment, especially as there is already an executive bill on the matter,” Oyanki said.
Despite the concerns, Speaker Jatau put the bill to a voice vote, after which it scaled second reading. He subsequently referred it to the House Committee on Education for further legislative scrutiny, directing the committee to report back to the House on July 28, 2026.
The Assembly also deliberated on and adopted the report of its Standing Committee on Education, Science and Technology on a Bill for a Law to Establish the Nasarawa State Adult and Non-Formal Education Agency and for Purposes Connected Therewith.
The Majority Leader, Hon. Suleiman Yakubu Azara, moved the motion for the adoption of the committee’s report, which was seconded by the Minority Leader, Hon. Luka Iliya Zhekaba. The report was unanimously adopted by the House.
Speaker Jatau fixed July 20, 2026, for the final passage of the bill establishing the Adult and Non-Formal Education Agency.
Also during plenary, the Speaker announced the appointment of Ahmed Jibrin as Commissioner of the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) and Nasiru Aminu Ahmed as a member of the Loko Area Administrative Council, following nominations forwarded to the House by Governor Abdullahi Sule.
He directed the Clerk of the House to notify the nominees to submit 30 copies of their curriculum vitae on or before Monday ahead of their screening by the Assembly.