•Benue State House of Assembly
The Benue State House of Assembly (BNHA), yesterday, slammed 13 members of the legislative house with a three months suspension, over what it termed as “the dishonourable actions” by the members.
The faction of the Assembly led by the Speaker, Aondona Dajoh, said that it had to suspend the lawmakers, who voted for the removal of the state Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Maurice Ikpambese, and later turned around to address a press conference distancing themselves from the action, reports Daily Independent.
Meanwhile, competent sources in the corridors of power in the state told our correspondent that there was no going back on the removal of the CJ, and his subsequent replacement with a top ranking member of the judiciary.
Even though it is being muted that the state government was considering inaugurating Justice Theresa Igoche as the next CJ to take over from Justice Ikpambese, our sources said so far, government has met with a brick wall in that direction.
Pressed further he explained that Justice Igoche has allegedly been approached, but has declined the offer based on the circumstances surrounding the removal of Justice Ikpambese.
He, however, said that it would be very difficult to ‘reinstate’ Justice Maurice Ikpambese, since the plot to have him removed has taken shape.
Back to the suspension of the 13 lawmakers, the Speaker, BNHA, Aondona Dajoh, explained that the action of the suspended lawmakers was capable of “casting aspersions and causing acrimony” among members of the Assembly.
Those affected by the suspension include Douglas Akya (Makurdi South), Jonathan Agbidye (Katsina-Ala East), Beckie Orpin (Gboko East), Simon Gabo (Ushongo-Mata), Williams Ortyom (Agasha), Onah Blessed (Oju 1) and Elias Audu (Gwer East).
Others are Anyor Mato (Kwande East), Manger Manger (Tarka), Solomon Gyila (Gwer West), Samuel Agada (Ogbadibo), Abraham Jabi (Buruku) and Ezra Nyiyongo (Ukum).
The Assembly condemned in the strongest terms the actions of Douglas Akya, and the twelve others, arguing that after voting for the removal of Justice Ikpambase, they went ahead to address a press conference and denied voting in favour of the motion to remove the CJ.
As part of punitive measures taken against them, the House has advised the suspended lawmakers to refund to government coffers funds that have already been advanced to them for a planned foreign trip, since they would no longer be embarking on the trip.
Earlier, the Majority Leader, Saater Tiseer, in a motion reminded the House that after exhaustive deliberations on Tuesday, 23 members out of the 31 members present voted in favour of the recommendation to remove the state Chief Judge.
He pointed out that after the resolutions were adopted, 13 of its members, who had some voted in support of the removal of Justice Ikpambase, later dissociated themselves from the process, thereby contravening Order IX, Rule 58(6) of the House Standing Rules.
Tiseer argued that the action of the 13 lawmakers was an afterthought and a deceptive posture capable of causing acrimony and casting aspersions on the House.
He, therefore, among other prayers, called on the House to suspend them for a period of three months.
