Assembly Suspends Ex-Speaker Over Alleged Plot To Impeach Alia

Benue State House of Assembly has suspended the immediate past Speaker, Hyacinth Danoh, for three months over his alleged impeachment move against Governor Hyacinth Alia.

But in a swift reaction, Dajoh described the allegation as baseless.

His suspension followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by a member representing Kyan constituency, Terna Shimawua. The motion said that if the former speaker’s action had not been averted, he could have confused the whole state.

Our correspondent reports that efforts to speak with the former speaker to get his reaction to the allegation proved abortive as his number was unreachable. An SMS message was sent to him, which was delivered, but after 15 minutes of waiting without a reply, the report was sent for publication.

Shimawua stated that on the 21st of August, Dajoh called members to a meeting in his house and planned to use the attendant to impeach the governor, condemning the former speaker’s action.

He made a motion recommending that the house suspend Dajoh from legislative duty for six months in his attempt to confuse the state.

Abu Umoru, a member representing the Apa constituency, seconded the motion. He said his actions deserve suspension, as he was doing to other members.

The house also condemned the former speaker’s action, which they said would have confused the state.

Ruling on the motion, the speaker, Alfred Ermberga, said, “We condemn in strong terms the action of the former speaker and hereby suspend him for three months.”

Also, during the plenary, the House confirmed the two commissioner nominees earlier, who had been rejected by the members.

The confirmation of the earlier rejected commissioner nominees followed a letter from the governor to the House, in which he requested that the House reconsider its earlier decision.

The two commissioner nominees earlier rejected by the House include Dr Timothy Ornguga and James Dwem.

But in a swift reaction, former Speaker Dajoh described the allegation that he moved to impeach the Governor as unfounded.

The former speaker, who spoke through his media aide Terver Zamber, said, “The attention of Rt. Hon. Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, has been drawn to a baseless claim alleging that he intended to impeach the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia”

According to him, “the allegation is false and misleading and appears designed to tarnish the reputation of the former Speaker.

“The former Speaker has remained the best-serving Speaker in the history of the Assembly and has always maintained a cordial and constructive relationship with the Governor”

“In fact, just days before his resignation, the House under his leadership passed a vote of confidence on the Governor, reaffirming the Assembly’s commitment to supporting the Government’s efforts to succeed.

“A pertinent question remains: who were the others the former Speaker allegedly planned to impeach the governor with, and why is the former Speaker the only one facing suspension?

It is unfortunate that Hon. Terna Shimawua, representing Kyan State Constituency, who moved the motion for the suspension of the former Speaker on the grounds of an alleged impeachment attempt, was speaking in the house for the very first time since his election to the tenth Assembly.

While the former Speaker accepts the suspension in good faith, it must be emphasised that this three-month suspension appears to be a mere political maneuver, orchestrated by non-state actors and executed by elements within the tenth Assembly.

“It’s unnecessary to spread falsehoods against the former Speaker, who resigned for the sake of peace and in the best interest of the state”

“We therefore urge the public to disregard these unfounded claims and continue to support the progress of Benue State.”