Benue Assembly suspends ex-Speaker for three months days after resignation
The Benue State House of Assembly has suspended its former Speaker, Aondona Dajoh, for three months, barely two days after he resigned from office.
Dajoh, who stepped down citing good faith and the interest of the state, was suspended on Tuesday during plenary over allegations that he attempted to impeach Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The suspension followed a motion moved by Terna Shimawua, representing Kyan State Constituency, and seconded by James Umoru from Apa State Constituency. Shimawua was among those suspended by Dajoh last Friday before the his resignation.
Speaker Alfred Berger, who presided over the session, ruled on the motion and reviewed the suspension period from six months to three months. The decision was taken without the usual voice vote that typically accompanies such disciplinary actions.
In a related development, the Assembly also reversed its earlier decision rejecting some commissioner nominees. The lawmakers confirmed Timothy Yangien Ornguga, a law lecturer at Benue State University, who had been previously rejected under Dajoh’s leadership.
Reading a letter from Governor Alia, Speaker Berger also announced the screening of five additional nominees, including Ornguga and James Dwem.
The governor maintained that despite petitions against them, the nominees had not been convicted of any crime and appealed for their clearance.
In an unexpected twist, lawmakers who previously opposed their nominations did not raise any objections during the session, and the confirmation proceeded without the customary voice vote.
