The Benue State House of Assembly on Tuesday suspended its former Speaker, Aondona Dajoh, for three months over an alleged attempt to impeach Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The suspension followed a motion moved by Terna Shimawua, member representing Kyan State Constituency, and seconded by James Umoru of Apa Constituency. Notably, Shimawua was one of the lawmakers suspended by Dajoh just days earlier, before Dajoh stepped down as Speaker.
Current Speaker Alfred Berger ruled on the motion and adjusted the suspension period from six months to three, bypassing the usual voting process typically required for such disciplinary actions.
In another dramatic shift on the same day, the Assembly reversed its earlier position and confirmed the nomination of Timothy Yangien Ornguga as commissioner. Ornguga, a law lecturer at Benue State University, had been rejected the previous week under Dajoh’s leadership.
While reading a letter from Governor Alia, Speaker Berger also announced the screening of five additional commissioner nominees, including Ornguga and James Dwem — both of whom had faced opposition during the earlier confirmation process.
According to the letter, Governor Alia maintained that neither nominee had been convicted of any crime, despite petitions against them, and urged the Assembly to approve their appointments.
In a surprising turn, lawmakers who had previously opposed their confirmation did not voice any objections during the session. The speaker proceeded to confirm the nominees without the standard voice vote.
Additionally, the House lifted the suspension of three political appointees earlier sanctioned by the governor: Grace Adagba, Chairperson of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board; Maxwell Ogiri, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area; and Michael Uper, Secretary of the State Lottery Board.
