Benue Assembly suspends 13 members

Benue State House of Assembly has suspended 13 members for opposing the removal of the state Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambase.

The assembly slammed three months suspension on the 13 members for what they described as “their dishonourable actions capable of casting aspersions and causing acrimony in the House”.

The House presided over by the speaker of the house, Hyacinth Dajoh condemned the action of the 13 members saying “Some of the members after voting for the removal of the State Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambase went back to address press conference and denied voting in favour of the motion to remove the Chief Judge.”

The Speaker listed those suspended to include, Mr. Douglas Akya (Makurdi South), Mr. Jonathan Agbidye (Katsina-Ala East), Mrs. Beckie Orpin (Gboko East), Mr. Simon Gabo (Ushongo-Mata), Mr. Williams Ortyom (Agasha), Mr. Onah Blessed (Oju 1) and Mr. Elias Audu (Gwer East).

Others are Mr. Anyor Mato (Kwande East), Mr. Manger Manger (Tarka), Mr. Solomon Gyila (Gwer West), Mr. Samuel Agada (Ogbadibo), Mr. Abraham Jabi (Buruku) and Mr. Ezra Nyiyongo (Ukum).

Earlier, the Majority Leader of the assembly, Saater Tiseer recalled that they had in the last sitting received a complaint from the Attorney-General detailing allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, bribery and corruption, and other sundry allegations against the Chief Judge.

He said, “After exhaustive deliberations, the House went into a division where 23 members out of 31 present voted in support of the recommendation to remove the Chief Judge.

He further said that after the House adopted resolutions on the matter, the 13 suspended members, some of which voted in support of the recommendation to remove Justice Ikpambase, publicly dissociated themselves from the process in which they took part, thereby contravening Order IX, Rule 58(6) of the House Standing Rules.

The Majority Leader submitted, that the actions of the 13 members were not only dishonourable but an afterthought and a deceptive posture capable of causing acrimony and casting aspersions on the House and, among other prayers, called on the House to suspend them for a period of three months.

Recall that the 13 members of the state assembly had met and addressed press conference after Tuesday’s plenary where the recommendations for the removal of the state Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambase were made.

The 13 members dissociated themselves from the recommendations of the house, describing it as ‘unconstitutional’.

They described the action as not only unconstitutional but also violates the principles of separation of powers and fair hearing which is necessary for the sustenance of democracy.

“The provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, clearly states a Chief Judge of a state can only be removed on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council which is responsible for disciplinary actions against judicial officers on an address supported by two-third majority of members of the House of Assembly of a state praying for the removal of the state Chief Judge.”

“The attendance at today’s sitting was 31 members, the Speaker did not vote, and 13 members did not vote, therefore, it is unimaginable that in an Assembly of 32 members where 31 were in attendance and 13 members did not vote, the voting produced 23 votes.

The 13 members said that none of the listed requirements were met before arriving at the recommendations to remove the state chief judge.

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