Benue Assembly suspends ex-Speaker over alleged plot to impeach Gov Alia

..clears two rejected commissioner-nominees

..recalls suspended LG Chairman, others

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The immediate past Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, and lawmaker representing Gboko West State Constituency, Mr. Hyacinth Dajoh, has been suspended by the House for three months for allegedly initiating the impeachment of Governor Hyacinth Alia.

The motion for the suspension of the former Speaker was brought before the House on Tuesday at plenary by the lawmaker representing Vandeikya II State Constituency, Mr. Terna Shimawua.

The lawmaker informed the House how the former Speaker allegedly plotted the impeachment of Governor Alia.

According to him, Mr. Dajoh had on Thursday, August 21, 2025, summoned members of the House to a meeting “and he used the attendance list signed during the meeting to initiate the implementation of Governor Hyacinth Alia.

“If this were not averted it would have thrown Benue state into political crisis thereby thwarting the development efforts of the present administration.”

He urged the House to outrightly condemn the action in the strongest term and that “the House suspend Mr. Dajoh for six months to allow him have a rethink of his actions.”

Seconding the motion, the lawmaker representing Apa State Constituency, Mr. Abu Umoru, noted that the House had in the past frowned at such actions and supported the motion for his suspension.

Ruling, the Speaker, Mr. Alfred Emberga, approved a three-month suspension of the former Speaker from legislative duties.

Meanwhile, the House also at plenary confirmed two Commissioner nominees, Dr. Timothy Ornguga and Mr. James Dwen, who were earlier rejected under the leadership of Mr. Dajoh following the petitions that trailed their nominations.

Governor Hyacinth Alia, in a correspondence to the Speaker, appealed to the House to reconsider the nominations for approval, explaining that their disqualification was not based on a court ruling or indictment and conviction by any competent institution or body.

The Majority Leader of the House, Saater Tiseer, also read a letter of apology written to the House on August 22, 2025, by the Executive Chairman of Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Dr. Grace Adagba, Executive Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Mr. Maxwell Ogiri and the State Lottery/Sporting Board Executive Secretary, Mr. Michael Upper, who promise to always work and cooperate with the House.

Members who spoke on the issue, including Abu Umoru, advised that the appointees be forgiven and wondered why a letter of apology was written to the House days back and it was not brought to the knowledge of members by the former leadership.

In his ruling, the Speaker urged Governor Alia to recall the affected persons who were on a one-month suspension, saying “they have shown remorse and to err is human; to forgive divine.”

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