Benue Assembly Suspends 13 Members for Dishonourable Actions

George Okoh in Makurdi

Thirteen members of the Benue State House of Assembly were yesterday slammed three months suspension by the House for their indulgence in what the Speaker termed as “ Dishonourable actions capable of casting aspersions and causing acrimony in the House.”

The thirteen suspended members are to refund the funds paid to them for foreign trip to government coffers, since they will no longer be embarking on the journey any longer.

The House also condemned, in the strongest terms, the dishonorable actions of the member representing Makurdi South Constituency, Mr. Douglas Akya, and 12 others, some of whom after voting for the removal of the State Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambase, went out to address a press conference denying voting in favour of the motion to remove the Judge.

The Speaker of the House, Chief Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh listed those suspended to include: Mr. Douglas Akya (Makurdi South), Mr. Jonathan Agbidye (Katsina-Ala East), Mrs. Beckie Orpin (Gboko East), Mr. Simon Gabo (Ushongo-Mata), Mr. Williams Ortyom (Agasha), Mr. Onah Blessed (Oju 1) and Mr. Elias Audu (Gwer East).

Others are: Mr. Anyor Mato (Kwande East), Mr. Manger Manger (Tarka), Mr. Solomon Gyila (Gwer West), Mr. Samuel Agada (Ogbadibo), Mr. Abraham Jabi (Buruku) and Mr. Ezra Nyiyongo (Ukum).

Earlier in a motion, the Majority Leader, Comr. Saater Tiseer recalled that they had in the last sitting received a complaint from the Attorney-General detailing allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, bribery and corruption, and other sundry allegations against the embattled Chief Judge and after exhaustive deliberation the House went into a division where 23 members out of 31 present voted in support of the recommendation to remove the Judge.

Mr. Tiseer disclosed that after the House adopted resolutions on the matter, the 13 suspended members, some of which voted in support of the recommendation to remove Justice Ikpambase, publicly dissociated themselves from the process in which they took part, thereby contravening Order IX, Rule 58(6) of the House Standing Rules.

The majority leader noted that the actions of the 13 members were not only dishonorable but an afterthought and a deceptive posture capable of causing acrimony and casting aspersions on the House and, among other prayers, called on the House to suspend them for a period of three months.