Drama at Katsina Gov’t House as Lawmakers Stage Walkout Over Phone Ban

Katsina State Assembly lawmakers staged a walkout on Wednesday to protest a security directive from Governor Dikko Radda that required them to surrender their mobile phones at the council chamber entrance at the state Government House.

The legislators, led by the Speaker, arrived at the Government House in a coaster bus but were met by security personnel who demanded that they hand over their phones.

A brief altercation ensued, culminating in the lawmakers storming out of the premises.

The state lawmakers vowed to boycott the meeting.

According to sources, it took the intervention of the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Jabiru Tsauri, and the Governor’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Ya’u Umar Gwajo-gwajo, to pacify the members and persuade them to return for the meeting.

The gathering was a joint meeting between the state executive council, state House of Assembly, and local government council chairmen. The legislators presented a supplementary budget to the governor for his assent and discussed issues related to the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy.

In the meeting, Governor Dikko announced the setup of a joint committee comprising representatives from the state executive and legislative arms, as well as local governments, to advise the state government on implementing the Supreme Court ruling.