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Tag: Benue Assembly

  • Benue Assembly screens, confirms 7 more commissioner nominees

    Benue Assembly screens, confirms 7 more commissioner nominees

    The Benue State House of Assembly on Tuesday screened seven more commissioner nominees for the state. The screening took place during plenary in Makurdi.

    The nominees were Mr Tiza Imojime, Mr Aondowase Kunde,
    Mr Ameh Odoh, Mr Kwaghgba Amande, Joseph Jir, Dr Yangien Ornguga and James Dwem.

    Recall that Ornguga and Dwem were screened on Wednesday but were not confirmed.

    Ruling, the Speaker, Mr Alfred Berger, put a question to his colleagues as to whether they should be confirmed or not, but they unanimously agreed that all of them should be confirmed.

  • BREAKING: Benue Assembly elects new Speaker

    BREAKING: Benue Assembly elects new Speaker

    The Benue State House of Assembly has elected Mr Alfred Berger (APC/Makurdi North) as the new Speaker, following the resignation of Mr Hyacinth Dajoh.

    A motion to elect Berger was moved by Mr Douglas Akya (APC/Makurdi South) and it was seconded by Mr Abu Umoru (PDP/Apa).

    The Deputy Speaker, Mrs Lami Danladi, who presided over the emergency plenary, put it to vote and all members present accepted that Berger should be their new speaker.

    In his acceptance speech, Berger eulogised his predecessor, Mr Hyacinth Dajoh, for his contribution to law making in the state, and pledged to carry all members along.

    Dajoh announced his resignation on Sunday in what political observers described as controversial circumstances.

  • Governor’s nominees: Benue Assembly halts screening over unmet demands

    Governor’s nominees: Benue Assembly halts screening over unmet demands

    The Benue State House of Assembly has declined to screen Gov. Hyacinth Alia’s commissioner nominees until the executive complies with its earlier resolutions.

    This decision was taken on Friday in Makurdi immediately after Speaker Hyacinth Dajoh read the governor’s letter presenting his proposed cabinet members.

    Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West) said screening nominees was their constitutional duty and they had no objection to it in principle.

    He stressed that members had always supported the governor but insisted unresolved concerns must be addressed before further correspondence from the executive would be considered.

    Supporting this, Simon Gabo (APC/Mata) said the submission of nominees showed the governor recognised their legislative role, meaning they should work in synergy.

    Gabo complained that he had not received his first constituency allowance, thereby denying his constituents some planned projects.

    He added that sittings had yet to begin in the Chamber because renovation works, started by the governor, remained incomplete.

    He also said seven members had not been given official cars.

    Gabo urged colleagues to adjourn sittings sine die, saying the governor should proceed alone if he preferred, but must treat legislators fairly.

    Elias Audu (APC/Gwer East) lamented that the situation felt like a “state of nature”, even though they were not.

    He noted that resolutions, such as unfreezing state accounts, had not been implemented despite being passed.

    Manger Manger (APC/Tarka) said they were denied constituency service funds, despite the allocation being included in the budget.

    He called for the correspondence to be stood down, allowing the leadership to keep engaging the executive on their demands, and supported sine die adjournment.

    Kennedy Angbo (APC/Otukpo-Akpa) decried the executive’s nonchalant attitude to resolutions, saying it discouraged ministry and agency heads from honouring invitations.

    He described the lack of official cars for seven members as unacceptable and urged standing down the correspondence.

    Bemdoo Ipusu (APC/Katsina-Ala) opposed sine die adjournment but agreed the screening should wait until the governor complied with resolutions.

    He also condemned alleged insults from social media aides of SUBEB Chair, Dr Grace Adagba, against legislators.

    Michael Audu (PDP/Adoka-Ugboju) urged members to avoid sine die adjournment, noting they must meet the minimum sitting days required per legislative session.

    Douglas Akya (APC/Makurdi South) questioned how they could function effectively when welfare matters were treated as an afterthought.

    He said they had avoided confrontation and given their all, and would continue doing so, but supported standing down executive correspondence.

    Abu Edoh (PDP/Agatu) also opposed shutting down the Assembly.

    William Ortyom (PDP/Agasha) said they were not trying to destroy the state, noting they could have continued sitting on plastic chairs for over two years.

    He said the Assembly was the only one in the country still sitting on plastic chairs.

    Majority Leader Saater Tiseer urged colleagues to remain calm, promising continued engagement with the executive until their goals were achieved.

    Ruling, Speaker Dajoh directed the governor to obey the resolutions and suspend the SUBEB Chair, Otukpo Council Chairman, and Sports Lottery Board Executive Secretary.

    He warned that without meeting demands, including provision of seven vehicles, the Assembly would not honour any further correspondence from the governor.

  • Benue Assembly suspends members, recommends SUBEB chairman for suspension

    Benue Assembly suspends members, recommends SUBEB chairman for suspension

    The Benue State House of Assembly has urged Gov. Hyacinth Alia to suspend the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Grace Adagba, for six months over misconduct.

    The lawmakers who took the decision after a motion moved by the Chief Whip, Mr Bemdoo Ipusu (APC/Katsina-Ala West), during Tuesday’s plenary in Makurdi want the chairman to stay away from all matters relating to the board.

    The lawmakers said that the suspension would give the assembly access to carry out its oversight in the board.

    Ipusu said that the house, during its plenary on July 21, deliberated on a motion titled “Motion for the House to Embark on a Statewide Verification of Contracts”.

    “After a robust debate, the house resolved to constitute a seven-man ad hoc committee to ascertain the true status of completed and ongoing projects embarked upon by Alia’s government from inception to date and report back to the house within four weeks.

    “The ad hoc committee has extended several invitations to the Executive Chairman of SUBEB; she, however, declined to appear before the committee without any satisfactory explanation.

    “In one of her letters she had clearly stated that the house has no right to investigate contracts from the board.

    “It has, therefore, become very clear that she is deliberately hindering the house from carrying out its constitutional mandate of oversight,” Ipusu said.

    He said that allowing the chairman to remain actively involved while the committee conducts its assignment may create a conflict of interest, undermine public confidence or jeopardise the integrity of the lawmakers’ investigation.

    Mr Douglas Akya (APC/Makurdi South), who seconded the motion, decried the board’s lack of cooperation with the house under the chairmanship of her current chairman.

    Also, Mr Elias Audu (APC/Gwer East) said that SUBEB was established by law; therefore, it cannot act as an independent entity, and the house will be barred from carrying out an oversight function.

    Mr Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West) said that the chairman had always disrespected the house whenever she was called to appear before it.

    Dugeri encouraged the house to stick to their decision of suspending the chairman, reiterating that they should take the decision and stand by it.

    Ruling, the Speaker, Mr Hyacinth Dajoh, said that the house was committed to upholding the principle of accountability and good governance in all matters of public interest.

    Benue Assembly suspends 5 members for 3 sittings

    Meanwhile, the Benue State House of Assembly has suspended five of its members for three legislative sittings for withholding vital information.

    The suspended members were said to have given incomplete information in their report on the investigation of the alleged financial misconduct of Otukpo Local Government Area Chairman, Mr Maxwell Ogiri.

    The decision was taken after the report of the house ad hoc committee to investigate members of the House Standing Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on Tuesday in Makurdi.

    In a lead debate, a member of the ad hoc committee, Mr Solomon Gyila (APC/Gwer West), said that members of the committee tampered with the report, stating that some useful information was excluded from the report.

    Gyila said that some of the issues that were not included in the report were the diversion of the council funds by the Otukpo LGA chairman.

    He said that Ogiri even sold government property, but the report that was presented by the committee was at variance with the collective decision of the members.

    Also, Mr Alfred Berger (APC/Makurdi North) said that the chairman of the committee, Mr Terna Shimawua (APC/Kyan), should be suspended for three months for tampering with the report.

    Berger said that Shimawua hid some things which the ad hoc committee had uncovered.

    Also, Mr Douglas Akya (APC/Makurdi South) said that security agencies should be directed to take over the premises of Otukpo LGA to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

    Mr Elias Audu (APC/Gwer East) encouraged his colleagues to be very careful with the issue of suspending members, stating it was demoralising.

    Audu said that members of the house should be suspended from the committee and not from the house for a period of three months.

    Ruling, the Speaker, Mr Hyacinth Dajoh, said that members of the committee would be suspended for three legislative sittings.

    Dajoh said that for the time being he would be the chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

    He said that chairmen of councils do not have power to lock the chamber of the local government legislative councils.

    The suspended members are Mr Terna Shimawua (APC/Kyan), Mr Matthew Damkor (APC/Tiev), Mr Cephas Dyako (APC/Konshisha), Mr Moses Egbodo (APC/Obi), and Mr Isaac Ochekyele (PDP/Ohimini).

  • Benue Assembly recalls 7 suspended members

    Benue Assembly recalls 7 suspended members

    The Benue State House of Assembly has recalled seven members who were suspended earlier in February.

    This followed the reading of a joint letter by the suspended members, presented by the Majority Leader, Mr Saater Tiseer, during plenary on Tuesday in Makurdi.

    After reading the letter, Mr Tiseer moved a motion for their recall, noting they had met the House’s conditions by submitting a written apology.

    He said the lawmakers showed remorse and promised to conduct themselves properly going forward.

    In their contributions, Mr Peter Ipusu (APC/Katsina-Ala West) and Mr Elias Audu (APC/Gwer East) supported the motion, confirming the members pledged good conduct.

    Ruling on the matter, Speaker, Mr Hyacinth Dajoh said the seven had fulfilled all conditions and would rejoin proceedings in the next sitting.

    The recalled members include Mr Douglas Akya (APC/Makurdi South) and Mrs Becky Orpin (APC/Gboko East).

    Others are Mr Manger Manger (APC/Tarka), Mr Ezrah Nyiyongu (PDP/Ukum), Mr Jonathan Agbidye (APC/Katsina Ala East), Mr Samuel Agada (APC/Ogbadibo) and Mr Abraham Jabi (APC/Buruku).

    Recall that while 13 members were initially suspended, six were previously reinstated in February.

  • Killings: “Rwandan Genocide” looms in Nigeria – Benue Assembly raises alarm

    Killings: “Rwandan Genocide” looms in Nigeria – Benue Assembly raises alarm

    The Benue State House of Assembly on Tuesday raised an alarm and called for urgent action by the government to prevent a looming genocide on Nigerian soil.

    In a motion moved by Mr Peter Uche (APC/Guma I) during plenary in Makurdi, the lawmakers described the attacks on communities in Benue as a replay of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.

    Uche pointed out that Section 14 (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, provided that security of lives and properties should be the primary responsibility of government.

    He said the government seemed not to be meeting this responsibility as Benue people were daily being subjected to severe pains, displacement from their ancestral homes, wanton destruction of property, and heinous killings by terrorist for more than two decades.

    He said the attention of the Nigerian government and the international community had been drawn to the attacks on many occasions through various media, but that the attacks had continued unabated.

    He further stated that the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches (Establishment) Law, 2017, as amended, was duly passed by the Benue State House of Assembly as a measure to regulate animal husbandry in the state and put an end to the conflict between farmers and herders.

    According to him, however, the attackers and their sponsors have rather chosen to breach the law and find excuses to perpetrate more killings of innocents.

    Uche expressed deep pain over the recent attack on Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of the state that claimed the lives of more than 200 people, many of them women and children.

    According to the assemblyman, apart from the use of sophisticated weapons, including explosives, the marauding herdsmen used fuel to set homes ablaze, wiping out families of up to 10 members.

    “I am deeply pained that women and children will be murdered in their sleep for no fault of theirs. Their only crime being their identity as crop farmers from Benue,” Uche said.

    Mr Alfred Berger (APC/Makurdi North), seconded the motion stating that the security agencies were not doing enough to protect the people, and called on both the state and federal governments to rise up to their duties securing the lives of citizens.

    Meanwhile, Mr Abu Umoru (PDP/Apa) called on Benue people, irrespective of their political affiliations, to come together and tackle the insecurity once and for all.

    Mr Peter Ipusu (APC/Katsina-Ala West) corroborated Berger that security agencies were overwhelmed and seemed incapable of protecting the people, hence the call for unity in tackling the issue.

    Ipusu called on Gov. Hyacinth Alia, to ensure that the law prohibiting open grazing was enforced.

    He further appealed to the Commissioner of Police to release the protesters that were being detained, saying that they acted out of deep pains and frustration as a result of the Yelwata killings.

    Ruling, the Speaker, Mr Aondona Dajoh, appealed to President Bola Tinubu, to help the state enforce the law against open grazing with the use of the military and police.

    Dajoh commended the youths who protested the killings, describing them as the heroes of democracy in Benue.

  • Benue Assembly lifts suspension of 6 out of 13 suspended members

    Benue Assembly lifts suspension of 6 out of 13 suspended members

    The Benue State House of Assembly on Tuesday lifted the suspension of six out of the 13 members suspended on February 19.

    The members were suspended for organising a press conference outside the confines of the assembly, thereby breaching the standing rules.

    The lifting of suspension followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Mr Saater Tiseer, urging the lawmakers to review the suspension of the suspended members.

    Tiseer pointed out that the house at its plenary on Feb. 19 suspended Mr Douglas Akya (APC/Makurdi South) and 12 others from legislative duties for three months following their indulgence in dishonourable conduct.

    The majority leader further said that the period of the suspension officially elapsed on May 19.

    He said that the 13 members, while on suspension, filed a legal suit against the house, challenging their suspension from duty.

    He added that they also appeared before the Federal House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Petitions to testify against the assembly.

    Tiseer said that their recent actions put the house in confusion as to whether or not they had shown remorse for their earlier action.

    The motion was seconded by the Minority Leader, Mr Michael Audu (PDP/Adoka-Ugboju), who disclosed that since they had deemed it fit to apologise through a letter, their suspension should be lifted.

    Audu stressed that those who were insisting that what they did was right should remain on suspension pending when they tender genuine apology.

    Also, Mr Peter Ipusu (APC/Katsina-Ala West) corroborated Audu that the six members who showed remorse by apologising should be brought back.

    Meanwhile, Mr Alfred Berger (APC/Makurdi North) urged the house to lift the suspension of all the suspended members.

    Ruling, the Speaker, Mr Aondona Dajoh, said that the six members were recalled immediately, emphasising that the other seven must write an apology letter the way the six did before they would be recalled.

    The six members whose suspensions were lifted included Mr Solomon Gyila (APC/Gwer West), Mr Elias Audu (APC/Gwer East), and Mr Anyor Mato (APC/Kwande East).

    Others were Mr Simon Gabo (APC/Mata), Mr William Ortyom (PDP/Agasha) and Mr Blessed Onah (PDP/Oju I).

  • Benue Assembly passes bill to rename State university

    Benue Assembly passes bill to rename State university

    The Benue State House of Assembly, presided over by its Speaker, Hyacinth Dajo, has passed the bill to rename the Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi, after Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu.

    The assembly during plenary on Tuesday also passed a bill for the establishment of the Benue State University of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Ihugh, Vandeikya Local Government Area.

    The Speaker said that the bills underwent thorough legislative scrutiny and were therefore passed.

    The passage of the bills follows a debate led by a member of the House Standing Committee on Tertiary Education, Mr Douglas Akya, who stood in for the committee chairman, Mr Manger Manger (APC/Tarka).

    Akya said that the proposed law for renaming BSU after the second civilian governor of the state, who was also the founder of the institution, was timely and needed accelerated passage.

    He, therefore, urged the house to consider and pass it speedily.

    Relatedly, Akya appreciated the state executive council for initiating the bill for the establishment of a University of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, saying that the law was a welcome development.

    He explained that when established, it would create employment and provide vast knowledge to Nigerians, not only Benue indigenes.

    “As a professional university, it will help to complement the former University of Agriculture, Makurdi, which has become a conventional university with the name Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM).

    He again urged the house to give it the desired consideration and pass it.

    In his contribution, the Majority Leader, Mr Saater Tiseer, said that the bill to rename BSU after Adasu was to honour him and not to tamper with anything other than the name.

    Tiseer said that if that was done, the founder of the institution would be immortalised.

    The majority leader explained that the new university was to be named the University of Agriculture, Science, and Technology in order to make it peculiar, thereby receiving assistance that other conventional institutions do not have access to.

    He told his colleagues that Gov. Hyacinth Alia had secured a lot of partnerships already that were agriculture tailored.

    Meanwhile, Mr William Ortyom (PDP/Agasha) commended the committee for painstakingly preparing the bills for passage.

    Ortyom said that the only industry that flourished in Benue was education, emphasising that no government tertiary institution had been in a comatose state.

    He urged the governor to establish more of such so as to create employment and reduce unemployment as well as the dependency ratio.

    He, however, said that he was not comfortable with the name, stating that it was too long; it should be shortened to university of technology, and it could even cover courses in non-science-based disciplines.

    The clerk of the house, Mr John Hwande, read the two bills for the third time.

  • Former Special Adviser in trouble over missing N1.78bn

    Former Special Adviser in trouble over missing N1.78bn

    The Benue House of Assembly preisded over by its Speaker, Hyacinth Dajo has summoned the former special adviser to Gov. Hyacinth Alia on the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr Dennis Akura.

    Akura is to appear before during plenary on Tuesday to explain and refund N1.78 billion that was not accounted while he was in the bureau.

    The resolution follows a motion moved by Mr Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West) after a report of the ad-hoc committee that investigated the operations and financial records at the local government level covering the period June 2023 to June 2024 that indicted Akura.

    Dugeri said that the house requested that Akura should refund the sum of N1.782 billion to the coffers of the state government.

    The lawmaker expressed concern that the reactions of Akura on social media denigrated, maligned, and impugned the resolutions and integrity of the house by calling them unprintable names, claiming that he was not given a fair hearing.

    He said that he labelled the house report as not being based on empirical facts and evidence.

    Dugeri added that as representatives of the people and responsible house that believed in fairness, transparency, equity, and justice, he humbly requested that Akura should appear before the lawmakers.

    According to him, the former adviser is to explain to the Benue people why he cannot refund N 1.78 billion funds he short-changed various local governments for security purposes and compromised the security architecture of the state.

    He further stated that all the past local government chairmen who served from June 2023 to June 2024 should equally appear before the house.

    The lawmaker stated that they were to appear alongside the directors of general services and administration, treasurers, and security officers of various local governments at the plenary as well to enable the Benue people to establish the veracity of the report.

    He warned government appointees against disparaging and spewing unnecessary invective on honourable members who were carrying out their constitutional duties for the interest of Benue people.

    They pointed out that in line with the Supreme Court Judgement on Local Government and Financial Autonomy, the house should initiate and accelerate the process of amendment of the Local Government Law.

    According to them, doing so would curtail the powers and excesses of the Bureau of Local Government so as to promote the local government financial autonomy.

  • Benue Assembly summons newly elected LG chairmen

    Benue Assembly summons newly elected LG chairmen

    The Benue State House of Assembly, presided over by its Speaker, Aondoana Dajoh, has summoned the 23 local government council chairmen and directors, general services, and administrations to appear before it over exploitation.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the 23 local government council chairmen were all elected in October under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The State House of Assembly, during its Tuesday plenary, also summoned all the heads of revenue departments of the councils to appear before it on Friday. The decision follows a motion by Mr Moses Egbodo, Co-Chairman, Joint Committee on Finance, Trade, and Industry.

    Egbodo informed his colleagues that the local government officials refused to appeal before the joint committee to answer questions on the exploitative use of unapproved sacks.

    The legislator said that the invited officials refused to use the Benue Sacks that were approved for markets in the state.

    Mr Abu Umoru, who is also a co-chairman of the committee, expressed displeasure that the officials undermined the authority of the house. Umoro stated that a sensitive issue bordering on the exploitation of farmers should not be treated with kid gloves.

    The Speaker, in his ruling, directed that the council chairmen, their DGSAs, and heads of revenue appear before the house on Friday unfailingly.