Benue State Assembly Suspends Four Lawmakers, Rejects Two LG Nominees

In a recent session, the Benue State Assembly took significant actions, suspending four members and confirming the appointment of local government caretaker committees sent by the state government.

The suspended members include Solomon Gyila (representing Gwer West State Constituency), Douglass Akya (representing Makurdi South), Dyako Ashwa (representing Konshisha State Constituency), and Anthony Agom (Okpokwu State Constituency).

During Monday’s session, the House confirmed 21 nominees for local government caretaker committees. However, two nominees from Agatu and Oju Local Government Areas faced rejection.

The rejection motion was initiated by Majority Leader Saater Tiseer and seconded by Peter Ipusu of Katsina-Alaa West State Constituency.

Speaker Aondona Dajo then put the confirmation of the 21 nominees to a voice vote. The House subsequently adjourned its session until Tuesday for further legislative proceedings.

Meanwhile, despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the appointment of caretaker committees by Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, the state assembly has proceeded to confirm the nominees.

This confirmation decision comes in the face of the Senate’s recent call on the Federal Government to withhold statutory allocations to local councils that are not democratically elected nationwide.

The Senate’s resolution, prompted by Senator Abba Moro’s motion titled “Urgent Need to Halt the Erosion of Democracy and Dissolution of Elected Councils in Benue State” during Friday’s plenary, emphasized that replacing elected councils with caretaker committees goes against the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Senator Moro urged the Governor of Benue State to reconsider the councils’ dissolution, the caretaker committees’ formation, and the reinstatement of elected officials.