Benue: Four Lawmakers Suspended Amidst Growing Cold War Between Gov. Alia And House Of Assembly

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Benue state House of Assembly on Friday, August 22, 2025, announced the immediate suspension of four of its members over alleged moves to impeach the Speaker, Rt Hon Aondona Dajoh, on Thursday night.

The Majority Leader, Hon Saater Tiseer, while moving the motion for the suspension of the four Lawmakers, accused them of attempting to precipitate  an unnecessary crisis within the ranks of the legislative body.

Consequent upon the motion, the Speaker directed the  Sergeant at Arms to lead the affected legislators out of the House.

The development also led to the appointment of Hon Audu Elias to replace one of the  suspended members Alfred Berger as the  Chairman ,House Committee on Information.

Other Lawmakers affected by the suspension order are Hon Terna Shimawua, representing  Kian State Constituency ,Hon Cyril Ekong representing Obi State Constituency and Hon James Umoru of Apa State Constituency.

According to the House resolution, the suspension order will last for six months.

The Source reports that the suspension is coming on the heels of an unsettling relationship between the House and the State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, over the screening of Commissioner-nominees.

The House had earlier declined to screen eight Commissioner-nominees, citing the failure of Governor Alia to effect some resolutions calling for the suspension of some Government officials, including the Executive Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area.

The Lawmakers had insisted that they will also not attend to any of the Governor’s correspondences untill the affected appointees are sanctioned.

Although Governor Alia had, on Wednesday, August 20, August 21, implemented the House resolution with the suspension of the Otukpo Local Government Area Chairman , Maxwell Ogiri, the Chairperson of the State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB, Mrs Grace Adagba and the Executive Secretary of the Benue state Lottery Commission Michael Uper for a period of one month to pave the way for the screening of Commissioner-nominees on Thursday August 21, the Governor was said to be greatly bruised by the stand of the Lawmakers, particularly its leadership.

According to an insider source, the stand of the House was perceived by the Governor as another attempt by the Legislators to undermine and ridicule his administration.

The refusal of the Lawmakers to clear two of the Commissioner-nominees , particularly, Prof Timothy Yangien Ornguga, a Law Professor from the Benue state University, was said to has not gone down well with the Governor.

The House rejected Prof Ornguga, citing four petitions against him, including the one from one of his former Students alleging the alteration of his results, as part of the reasons for its action.

The Lawmakers also had, in rejecting Prof Ornguga, noted that he was not in possession of his Primary School Certificate.

The alleged impeachment moves against the Speaker and the subsequent suspension order slammed on the four House members are strongly believed to be a direct fall- out from the latest supremacy battle between the Lawmakers and Governor Alia.

This medium gathered that ever since the Legislators some months ago suspended about eight members over the disagreement with the State Chief Judge, Governor Alia has been bent on effecting a change in the leadership structure of the House.

According to our source, the present Speaker, and Majority of the House leadership are strongly believed to be loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, George Akume, who it is believed, has a strained relationship with Governor Alia.

Their face off first became public knowledge, following the relocation of the sitting of the State’s Local Council Election Tribunal from Markurdi to Abuja by the State Chief Judge.

The action resulted in the House calling for the removal of the State Chief Judge. In the face of the House/Chief Judge disagreement, about eight Lawmakers were suspended over their opposition to the call for the removal of the Chief Judge .

Not a few observers have perceived the continued rivalry between Governor Alia and SGF Akume as the driving force behind the persistent crisis and spate of suspension orders rocking the state House of Assembly.