The Benue State House of Assembly has suspended former Speaker Aondona Dajoh for three months over an alleged attempt to impeach Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The suspension followed a motion moved on Tuesday by Terna Shimawua, representing Kyan State Constituency, and seconded by James Umoru of Apa State Constituency. Notably, Shimawua was among the lawmakers Dajoh had suspended last Friday before his resignation as Speaker.
The current Speaker, Alfred Berger, who presided over the motion, reduced Dajoh’s suspension from six to three months, bypassing the usual voting procedure for such matters.
In a related development, the Assembly reversed a previous decision and confirmed Timothy Yangien Ornguga as commissioner. Ornguga, a law lecturer at Benue State University, had been rejected last week by the former Speaker.
During Tuesday’s plenary, Speaker Berger read a letter from Governor Alia and screened five additional nominees, including Ornguga. The Speaker noted that the governor believed the two nominees, Ornguga and James Dwem, had no criminal convictions despite petitions against their nominations, prompting their confirmation.
Lawmakers who had previously opposed the nominees remained silent as the confirmations were approved without the customary voice votes.
The House also lifted suspensions on three political office holders earlier suspended by the governor: Grace Adagba, Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board; Maxwell Ogiri, Otukpo Local Government Chairman; and Michael Uper, Secretary of the State Lottery Board.
