The Benue State House of Assembly has suspended its immediate past Speaker, Aondona Dajoh, for three months over allegations that he attempted to orchestrate the impeachment of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The suspension was announced during Tuesday’s plenary after a motion was moved by Terna Shimawua, the member representing Kyan State Constituency, and seconded by James Umoru of Apa Constituency.
Shimawua, one of the lawmakers earlier suspended by Dajoh before his resignation last week, accused the former Speaker of “working against the interest of the Assembly and attempting to destabilise governance in the state.”
Ruling on the motion, the new Speaker, Alfred Berger, reduced the proposed suspension from six months to three. “The decision of this House is to maintain order and protect the integrity of the legislature,” Berger said.
In another development, the Assembly reversed its earlier stance on the nomination of Timothy Yangien Ornguga, a law lecturer at Benue State University, who was rejected under Dajoh’s leadership. Reading a letter from Governor Alia, Speaker Berger explained that the governor had appealed for the confirmation of Ornguga and James Dwem, stressing that both men had no criminal convictions despite petitions filed against them.
“The governor believes these nominees have no standing convictions, and therefore, their rejection cannot be sustained,” Berger told lawmakers.
Surprisingly, members who had previously opposed the nominations did not object as both men were cleared without the usual voice vote.
The Assembly also lifted the suspension placed on three political office holders by the governor: Grace Adagba, Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board; Maxwell Ogiri, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government; and Michael Uper, Secretary of the State Lottery Board.
