May 06, (THEWILL) – The Benue State House of Assembly has 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 investigations by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Inspector General of Police into the individuals who signed the petition.
Members 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 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 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.
