The Benue State House of Assembly has directed that its Speaker, Hon. Hyacinth Dajoh, and the leadership of the house should disregard the summons from the National Assembly Public Petition Committee.
The state assembly passed the resolution during its session on Tuesday, and argued that the summons contravenes the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended.
Also, the state assembly declared its intention to take legal action against the National Assembly, just as it also requested investigations by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Inspector General of Police into the individuals who signed the petition.
The Majority Leader of the House, Saater Tiseer, who led the debate during its session, said the notice sent by the National Assembly was done out of ignorance.
According to the Majority leader, in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Benue State House of Assembly is not answerable to the National Assembly. Section (101) has given the house the power to legislate on its business without external control.
Also contributing to the debate, Hon. Bemdoo Ipusu welcomed the decision of the house to take the National Assembly to court and added that the house should include the Guidance of Democracy for misleading the National Assembly.
Ipusu said that by implication, the National Assembly was trying to take over the functions of the state assembly that is vibrant and performing its duties effectively.
Also, Hon. Micheal Audu and Hon Peter Uche, in their separate contributions, condemned the decision of the National Assembly and urged the Speaker and the leadership not to appear.
Hon. Uche said he is still performing his duties in the house as elected, as expected by his people and wondered why the group included his name alongside those suspended, saying the act clearly shows that the National Assembly was not properly informed.
The House also called on the National Assembly Caucus from Benue State to come for proper engagement with the House to ascertain why the State is portrayed in a bad light at the National Assembly.
It will be recalled that the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition had on Friday summoned Governors of Benue and Zamfara states, Hyacinth Alia and Dauda Lawal, respectively, as well as their respective state assembly speakers and house leadership to appear before it on Thursday, March 8, 2025 .
They are to appear to explain why their constitutional functions should not be taken over by the House of Representatives.
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