Speaker of Kaduna State House of Assembly Yusuf Zailani has revealed how the lawmakers were sent a bill by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai seeking the scrapping of Sharia and Customary courts in the state.
Zailani disclosed this on Thursday during the valedictory session of the assembly during which the bill was thrown out in Kaduna
The speaker said “Before I dissolve the House, I need to say something on the record. There was a bill that was brought to this house which made me to suffer all sorts of persecution. But I thank the Almighty Allah and my colleagues that bill will not get to see the light of the day.
“The bill is no other than the one brought to me on the 30 of January this year. The bill was aimed at scrapping the Sharia Courts and Customary Courts in Kaduna State,
“Today, even if this is my only achievement in the three years and some months that I have been speaker, I will remain eternally grateful to Allah.
“Like I said, all the problems I faced in my capacity as speaker were because of this failed bill. But I have no regret even for a minute over this.
“I can’t imagine myself as the title holder of Garkuwan (shield of) the holy Quran being the one to approve the scrapping of Sharia Courts and Customary Courts after many people had paid the supreme price to get them established.
“They wanted us to return to the Area Courts of old. But I thank my constituents for giving me the chance to represent them, even if this is all I could do. If this bill had scaled through, only God knows whatt would have happened in Kaduna.
“I will therefore plead with any of my colleagues to formally move the motion for the rejection of the bill for the records and for the sake of posterity.”
Honourable Member Barrister Emmanuel Bako Kantiyok, representing Zonkwa constituency, moved the motion.
“Mr Speaker I rise to move the motion that the Bill for a law for establishment of High Court of Justice, Sharia Court of Appeal, Customary Court of Appeal, and Mauritania’s Courts, by implications has to do with the repeal of the Customary Court law, Sharia Court law sent to this house be returned as refused by this Honourable House,” he said.
The motion was seconded by Hon Sagir Zubairu, representing Maigana constituency.
Zailani then said “So you have heard it all from distinguished lawmakers. So this bill brought by the former governor of Kaduna State has been condemned and thrown out accordingly.”
The Speaker had earlier thanked the staff of the assembly for their commitment to duty, saying they played a very critical role in the successes recorded by the lawmakers.
The Speaker who also sought for the forgiveness of all those he might have offended in the course of his stewardship said he had forgiven all those who wronged him knowingly or unknowingly.
