Benue Assembly suspends ex-speaker Dajoh over alleged plot to impeach Gov Alia

…lifts suspension on SUBEB boss, two others

Benue State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, suspended the immediate past speaker of the house, Hon. Aondona Dajoh, for three months.

The suspension followed a motion by a member representing Vandeikiya 11 State Constituency, Terna Emmanuel, who alleged that the former speaker, last Thursday, gathered members in his residence and initiated an impeachment move against the governor.

According to the lawmaker, “Though Benue State House of Assembly is guided by the principle of separation of powers, but last Thursday, the former speaker called some members of the house to his residence where they initiated an impeachment move against the governor of the state.

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“I move that this house should resolve that the former speaker’s action be condemned and that the house should suspend him for six months to allow him to have a rethink on his actions.

Seconding the motion, the representative of Apa State constituency, Abu Umoru, who condemned the action, said that the house had in the past suspended members for similar offenses.

Ruling on the motion, the speaker, Hon. Alfred Emberger, said, “We condemn in strong terms the action of the former speaker and hereby suspend him for three months.”

Also, during the plenary, the House confirmed the two commissioner nominees earlier rejected by the members.

The confirmation of the earlier rejected commissioner nominees followed a letter forwarded to the House by the governor, who requested the House to reconsider its earlier decision.

The speaker read a letter from the governor, representing the two commissioner nominees, Dr Timothy Yangien Ornguga and Mr. James Dwen.

According to the governor, the nominees were rejected based on petition against them and added that none of the nominees has been convicted, indicted, or made the subject of any pronouncement of the competent court of law against them.

The speaker, while ruling, said, “Our duty is to screen and make recommendations to the governor based on the fact that they are going to be staff of the governor through this, they serve the state. I plead with the House to confirm their renomination. So, therefore, the two nominees are hereby confirmed “.

In the same vein, the house recommended to the governor, Hyacinth Alia, to lift the suspension earlier imposed on the chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Grace Adagba, and two others who were earlier suspended.

The majority leader of the house, Sateer Tiseer, also read the apology letter from the SUBEB boss, Mrs Grace Adagba, alongside the Executive Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Mr. Maxwell Ogiri, and the State Lottery/Sporting Board Executive Secretary, Mr. Michael Upper, dated August 22.

The speaker who ruled on the letter after contributions from members said that the suspended government officials have tendered an apology and need to accept the apology.

“To err is human and forgiveness is of God, since the three people have realized their error, our decision earlier showed that the house has power and I think henceforth, they can no longer undermine this house, and we urge that the suspension be lifted,” the speaker ruled.