Gov. Alia Denies Role in Failed Speaker Impeachment as 4 Lawmakers Suspended
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Gov. Alia Denies Role in Failed Speaker Impeachment as 4 Lawmakers Suspended
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has distanced himself from the failed move to impeach the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Hyacinth Dajoh, insisting he had no hand in the political crisis.
At Friday’s plenary, four lawmakers — Alfred Berger (Makurdi North), Cyril Ekong** (Oju 2), Abu Umoru (Apa) and Shimawua Terna (Kyan) — were suspended for three months after being accused of spearheading an impeachment plot against the Speaker.
Their suspension followed a motion moved by Majority Leader Saater Tiseer, who said the quartet had attempted to mobilise colleagues to “cause chaos in the House.” He recalled that the Assembly had only two days earlier passed a confidence vote on both Speaker Dajoh and Governor Alia.
He described the lawmakers’ action as dishonourable and pushed for a six-month suspension.
Supporting the motion, Elias Audu (Gwer East) and Majority Chief Whip Peter Ipusu condemned the impeachment attempt. Ipusu was particularly fierce, declaring:
“All our actions and our deeds have consequences. If somebody pulls a trigger at you and fails, it is better you kill the person before he gets an opportunity to do it again.
I feel so pained that a member of the leadership of the tenth Assembly would be nursing the ambition of becoming a speaker when there is no problem in this House.
He knew what he was doing, if he had succeeded, today he would have been sitting up there as the Speaker. He failed, he has no basis to remain in this House in the next six months. I want to support that motion wholeheartedly.”
However, Speaker Hyacinth Dajoh softened the penalty, ruling that the lawmakers be suspended for three months instead of six. He directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the affected members out of the chamber.
The dramatic suspension underscores the deepening rift within the Benue State Assembly, though Governor Alia has firmly rejected claims of being behind the power tussle.
