May 11, (THEWILL) – The ongoing tug of war between Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, his Zamfara counterpart, Dauda Lawal, the Houses of Assembly of both states and the National Assembly over summons for oversight appearances continued over the weekend.
According to the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, the governors and their respective state assemblies were summoned to appear in the National Assembly on Thursday, May 8 unfailingly, over alleged constitutional violations and governance failures.
In Benue, the controversy deals with the suspension of 13 lawmakers believed to be opposed to Governor Alia, who is facing charges of abuse of power for suspending the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, with the approval of the State House of Assembly.
In Zamfara, on the other hand, there is a prolonged legislative standoff involving a faction of the suspended lawmakers until recently, thereby creating a parallel legislative structure in the state.
Moreover, both states are hard-hit by deep-rooted insecurity and other challenges that are negatively impacting good governance.
On the fateful Thursday that the summons lapsed, a group of lawyers, numbering about 1,000, joined the fray. On the platform of the Save Benue and Zamfara Coalition, the lawyers protested before the National Assembly, urging it to take over the functions of the Houses of Assembly in Benue and Zamfara.
The protesters, led by Sambari Benjamin, argued that the two houses are unable to perform their constitutional duties due to internal crises and alleged interference by the state governors.
According to them, 10 lawmakers have been suspended in Zamfara since February 2024 on the instructions of Governor Dauda Lawal for raising the alarm over the rising insecurity in the state.
Similarly, in Benue, the coalition stated that 13 lawmakers were suspended for allegedly disobeying Governor Alia’s instruction to suspend the Chief Judge of State.
Supporting the House Committee’s summons to the governors and their Houses of Assembly, they urged the National Assembly to invoke Section 11(4) of the Constitution, which allows the parliament to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of a state when the House of Assembly is unable to perform its functions.
The lawyers warn that if the situation is not addressed, it may lead to a state of emergency being declared in the two states.
They also expressed concern that the crisis could spread to the National Assembly, potentially threatening its stability.
Claiming legislative and constitutional rascality on the part of the National Assembly, both governors and the leadership of their assemblies rejected the invitation.
The Benue State House of Assembly passed a resolution calling on the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, to disregard the summons from the National Assembly Public Petition Committee to appear before it.
The Assembly argued that the summons contravenes the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended; planning to take legal action against the National Assembly, while also requesting the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Inspector- General of Police to investigate the individuals who signed the petition.
Members of the Benue Assembly also called on the National Assembly Caucus from Benue State in the Senate and House of Representatives to come for proper engagement with the House to ascertain why the state is portrayed in a bad light at the National Assembly.
Lending his voice to the petition sent by the National Assembly summoning the Speaker and leadership of the Assembly to appear on Thursday, May 8, 2025, Majority Leader of the House, Comrade Saater Tiseer, argued that the notice sent by the National Assembly was done out of ignorance.
According to the lawmaker, by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Benue State House of Assembly is not answerable to the National Assembly, pointing out that section 101 has given the house the powers to legislate on its business without external control.
Contributing, the member representing Katsina-Ala West State Constituency, Hon. Bemdoo Ipusu, accepted the decision of the house to take the National Assembly to court, adding that the house should include the Guidance of Democracy for misleading the National Assembly.
Hon. Ipusu noted that the group, in mentioning the names of the suspended members, also listed Hon. Peter Uche, which shows that the group lacks knowledge of what transpired on the floor of the House that fateful day.
He wondered why the National Assembly would want to take over the functions of the State House of Assembly that is vibrant and performing its duties effectively, noting that the three arms of government in the state are not fighting each other.
Other members, including Hon. Michael Audu and Hon. Peter Uche, condemned in totality the decision of the National Assembly and urged the Speaker and the leadership of the state Assembly not to honour the invitation to appear.
Hon. Uche said he is still performing his duties in the house as elected and expected by his people, and wondered why the group included his name alongside those suspended, which clearly shows that the National Assembly was not properly informed.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Zamfara House Committee on Information, Kabiru Dangulbi, said the summons lacked a legal basis.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria waded in on behalf of the Zamfara and Benue Houses of Assemblies. has rejected the summons issued to the Benue and Zamfara State Houses of Assembly by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions.
According to the Conference, through its Chairman and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, the summons by the National Assembly was “an overreach of constitutional powers, a direct challenge to Nigeria’s federal structure, and a breach of the autonomy of state legislatures as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, “ adding that “The investigative and oversight powers of the National Assembly under Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution are restricted to matters within the legislative competence of the Federal Government.”
The Conference warned that attempts to erode the constitutional independence of state assemblies could set a dangerous precedent and threaten democratic governance at the sub-national level.
