The Benue State House of Assembly has slammed a three-month suspension on recently resigned Speaker Hon. Aondona Dajoh, barely two days after he resigned from office.
Benue legislators took the decision on Tuesday during their plenary session.
The lawmakers also confirmed Associate Professor Ornguga and other nominees forwarded by the state governor for various appointments.
The Benue State House of Assembly on Tuesday suspended its immediate past speaker, Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh,
The decision, taken during plenary presided over by new Speaker Alfred Emberga, continues the crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) between loyalists of Governor Hyacinth Alia and those aligned with Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.
Dajoh, who is perceived to be in Akume’s camp, was accused of plotting to impeach Governor Alia.
The allegation formed the basis of his suspension and also highlighted why some key decisions taken under his leadership were reversed on Tuesday.
The Assembly re-screened and confirmed two commissioner-nominees previously rejected during Dajoh’s tenure, Prof Timothy Yangien Ornguga and James Dwen. It also recalled Grace Adagba, chair of the State Universal Basic Education Board; Maxwell Ogiri, executive chairman of Otukpo Local Government; and Michael Upper, executive secretary of the State Lottery and Sporting Board. All three had been placed on suspension under Dajoh but were cleared following Tuesday’s session.
The motion to suspend Dajoh was moved by Emmanuel Shimawua of Vandeikya Kyan constituency and seconded by Abu Umoru James of Apa constituency, both lawmakers who were reinstated on Sunday after being suspended last week.
The Assembly has been rocked by turmoil in recent days.
On Friday, four lawmakers, Alfred Aondoaver Emberga (Makurdi North), Shimawua Emmanuel (Vandeikya 2), Cyril Ikong (Oju 2) and Abu Umoru (Apa), were suspended over an alleged conspiracy to unseat Dajoh.
But 23 lawmakers, led by Deputy Speaker Lami Danladi, overturned the suspension on Sunday after setting aside House rules to hold an emergency sitting, after which Emberga was elected as the new speaker.
He further described as “unfortunate” the fact that Hon. Terna Shimawua, representing Kyan State Constituency, who moved the motion for his suspension, was speaking in the Assembly for the very first time since his election to the 10th Assembly.
