Why Benue Assembly’s Ex-Speaker Dajoh Resigned

The resignation of the immediate-past Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Aondona Dajoh, has deepened the political rift within the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The ruling party has long been divided into two camps, one loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia and the other to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume. The cold war between the two political heavyweights over the control of the party’s structure has now claimed Dajoh as a casualty, sources revealed.

Until last Friday, Dajoh held sway in the House, even going as far as suspending four lawmakers accused of plotting his impeachment. Those affected were Alfred Berger, Chairman, House Committee on Information; Terna Shimawua, member representing Kian State Constituency; Cyril Ekong of Obi State Constituency; and James Umoru of Apa State Constituency.

However, just 48 hours after announcing the suspension, Dajoh tendered his resignation in a handwritten letter on Sunday, insisting that his decision was made “in good faith and in the best interest of the state.”

The House of Assembly, in its official position on Monday, maintained that Dajoh’s resignation was a “personal decision” and denied that Governor Alia had any influence on the development.

At an emergency plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker Lami Ogenyi, lawmakers suspended the rules and unanimously elected Emberga, representing Makurdi North, as the new Speaker.

For many members of the APC, the resignation did not come as a surprise. The seeds of discord were sown in 2023 when Governor Alia proclaimed the 10th Assembly. While the governor backed Dajoh from Gboko East constituency, Senator Akume and his loyalists supported Mrs. Becky Orpin. After a heated contest on the floor, Alia’s candidate emerged victorious, but the scars of that battle have lingered.

Since then, the APC in Benue has remained fractured, with Governor Alia’s camp branding itself as “the masses,” while Akume’s loyalists identify as “the stakeholders.”

Dajoh’s exit as Speaker, analysts say, is the latest chapter in a political tug-of-war that continues to define the future of the APC in Benue State.