Nigerian Concord Newspaper
Nigerian Concord Newspaper The Benue Defenders for Democracy has accused the leadership of the House of Representatives of acting a script dictated to them by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume over the crisis in Benue state.
The group which spoke against what it termed as an “illegal and unnecessary” summon of the Governor of Benue State, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions chaired by Hon. Mike Etaba said that it was unfair for the Committee which has never visited the state for a fact-finding mission to be that harsh on the governor just because they are taking side with the SGF.
Speaking in a press statement he signed on behalf of Benue Defenders of Democracy, Chief Mike Ojobor stated that information at his disposal is that the members of the House Committee on Public Petitions have been bribed to embarrass the governor and also make a recommendation to the leadership of the National Assembly to give an Order that the legislative duties of the Benue State House of Assembly should be taken over by the House of Representatives.
Ojobor pressed further that the embattled Chief Judge of the State, Justice Maurice Ikpwambese have been drafted into a plan to set up a Seven-Man Panel that will see to the “unlawful” removal of the governor and his deputy immediately after Thursday’s appointment with the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions.
Benue Defenders of Democracy further accused Senator George Akume of begging the Speaker of the House of Representatives to use Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended to remove the governor.
The group wondered why the House of Representatives is in a hurry to embarrass Governor Alia with the summon when they have not been to the state to find out what could be done to stop Fulani herders killings there.
The group tasked the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions to bring a proof that it had investigated the petition which “some enemies of Benue state in the National Assembly” submitted to truly know if the ongoing massacres are truly as a result of the governor’s negligence.
The group also noted that it will be unlawful for the House of Representatives to propose to take over legislative duties of the Benue State House of Assembly since there is no crisis or security threats in the House.
The statement reads in parts: “The only way such can happen is if there are crises, killings, attacks and security threats in the House of Assembly, and when there is none, the House of Representatives has no Constitutional rights to take over their duties just because of a mere power tussle between Alia and Akume”
The group said the House of Representatives cannot query the Benue State House of Assembly for suspending some erring members, noting that such action is not new in Nigeria. “State lawmakers had been suspended in the past in Benue state and some other states and no one called the House of Representatives to come and take over legislative duties in those states” he said.
Benue Defenders of Democracy also accused some suspended members of the House of Assembly of plans to sponsor thugs to start causing security threats on the premises of them legislative building in Makurdi in order to make the House of Representatives assume that the Chamber isn’t safe.
The group also exposed plans to bring thugs from some neighboring states to stage a big protest in front of the two Chambers of the National Assembly on Thursday, the day the Governor has been asked to appear before the House Committee on Public Petitions.