The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has accused the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo – Agege, of blackmailing and undermining the powers of the Assemblies.

Chairperson of the conference, Abubakar Sulaiman, who is also the Speaker of the Bauchi House of Assembly, in a statement, accused Omo-Agege of deliberately demonising state assemblies before Nigerians.

Deputy Senate, who is the chairperson of the Constitution Review Committee, Senate, had accused the State House of Assemblies of delaying the Constitution Review process.

He said contrary to the claim by Omo – Agege that only 11 Houses of Assemblies had passed the resolution of the National Assembly Review, 16 state assemblies have actually passed the resolution.

Mr Sulaiman said the Conference of State Legislatures is adamant that the four more constitutional bills are considered by the National Assembly because they are major stakeholders with knowledge of happenings at the grassroots.

On the allegations that the State Houses of Assemblies are stooges to governors, Mr Sulaiman said checks and balances don’t necessarily mean confrontation.

While insisting that state legislatures would never truncate the exercise, the Bauchi speaker said primary elections conducted by political parties were one of the reasons for the delay.