By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
There was serious confusion on Wednesday as Benue State House of Assembly, during plenary, suspended 13 of its members from legislative duties due to their involvement in dishonorable acts.
The suspension was as a result of a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Mr. Saater Tiseer, during a plenary session.
Trouble started when the assembly received a complaint from the office of the Attorney-General, Benue State, detailing allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, bribery, and corruption against Justice Maurice Ikpambese, the Chief Judge of the state.
After a thorough deliberation, 23 members out of 31 present voted in support of removing Ikpambese as the Chief Judge and swearing in the next-in-line judicial officer as the acting chief judge.
However, things took a surprising turn when 13 members, some of whom had voted in support of the recommendation, publicly dissociated themselves from the legislative process.
This action was deemed a contravention of the Standing Order IX, Rule 58 (6), which prohibits reconsidering a specific question upon which the house has concluded during the current session, except upon a substantive motion for rescission.
Those suspended members include:
Mr. Douglas Akya (APC/Makurdi South,Mr. Jonathan Agbidye, APC/Katsina-Ala East,
Mrs. Beckie Orpin-APC/Gboko East,
Mr. Simon Gabo APC/Mata,
Mr. William Ortyom PDP/Agasha,
Mr. Emmanuel Onah-PDP/Oju I,
Mr. Elias Audu -APC/Gwer East,
Mr. Anyor Matu -APC/Kwande East,
Mr. Manger Manger -APC/Tarka,
Mr. Solomon Gyila -APC/Gwer West,
Mr. Samuel Agada -APC/Ogbadibo,
Mr. Abraham Jabi -APC/Buruku and
Mr. Ezra Nyiyongo -APC/Ukum respectively.
Seconding the motion Mr. Peter Ipusu -APC/Katsina-Ala West, who described the actions of the suspended members as “outright mischief, expressed disappointment why they had actively participated in the debate and voted in favor of removing the Chief Judge, only to later deny their involvement.
Ruling,Speaker of the House, Mr. Hyacinth Dajoh, directed the suspended members to refund the funds allocated to them for a foreign trip, as they would no longer be participating in the trip due to their suspension.
Dajoh condemned the dishonorable actions of the members, stating that they were capable of casting aspersions and causing acrimony in the state.