…Threathens Legal Action
The Benue State House of Assembly (BNHA), has taken a decision that the Speaker of the Assembly, Aondona Dajoh, and the leadership of the Assembly should shun the invitation by the Public Petition Committee of the National Assembly (NASS), to appear before it on Thursday.
The Assembly which took the decision in a resolution by the House, also called on the Speaker to disregard the summons from the Committee, insisting that the summons contravenes the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended.
This was contained in a statement signed by Terver Zamber, Chief Press Secretary (CPS), to the Speaker, and made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Tuesday.
While the Assembly threatened legal action against the NASS, it called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Inspector General of Police to investigate those who signed the petition.
Furthermore, the Benue Assembly invited the National Assembly Caucus from Benue State (Senate and House of Representatives) an engagement with the State Assembly, to clarify reasons why the State was portrayed in bad light at the National Assembly.
Lending his voice on the petition by the National Assembly summoning the Speaker and leadership of the Assembly to appear before it on Thursday 8th May 2025, the Majority Leader, Comrade Saater Tiseer, observed that the invitation by the National Assembly was borne out of ignorance.
He said, “by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Benue State House of Assembly is not answerable to the National Assembly, saying Section (101) has given the House the powers to legislate on its business without external control.”
Member representing Katsina- Ala West State Constituency Hon. Bemdoo Ipusu accepted the decision of the house to take the National Assembly to court and added that the House should include the Guidance of Democracy for misleading the National Assembly.
Hon. Ipusu noted that the group in mentioning the names of the suspended members mentioned Hon. Peter Uche which shows that the group lacks knowledge of what transpired on the floor of the house that day.
He wondered why the National Assembly would want to take over the functions of the Assembly that is vibrant and performing its duties effectively, noting that the three arms of government in the State are not fighting each other.
Members including Hon. Micheal Audu and Hon. Peter Uche condemned in totality the decision of the National Assembly and urged the Speaker and the leadership not to appear.
Hon. Uche said he is still performing his duties in the house as elected and expected by his people and wondered why the group included his name alongside those suspended, saying the act clearly shows that the National Assembly was not properly informed. End
