Benue State House of Assembly has described the invitation extended to Speaker Aondona Dajoh and the leadership of the House by the House of Representatives as an action taken out of ignorance.
The House, in a consensus decision rejected the invitation and asked the Speaker to ignore it.
The House of Reps Committee on Public Petitions, acting on a petition by a group – Guardians of Democracy – which called the Green Chamber to intervene in the crisis rocking the Benue State House of Assembly.
The Green Chambers House Committee on Public Petitions recently passed a resolution inviting the Speaker Benue State House of Assembly to appear before it tomorrow.
In a letter dated 30th April 2025, the committee is requesting Dajoh and the house leadership to answer questions regarding the suspension of 13 members of the Benue State House of Assembly.
However, during yesterday’s sitting, the Benue State House of Assembly passed the resolution rejecting the invitation.
The Assembly argued that the summons contravene the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended.
The House expressed readiness to take legal actions 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.
The Benue State House of Assembly also called on the National Assembly Caucus from Benue State
The Assembly argued that the summons contravene the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended.
The House expressed readiness to take legal actions 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.
The Benue State House of Assembly also called on the National Assembly Caucus from Benue State (Senate/ Reps) to come for proper engagement with the house to ascertain why the State is portrayed in bad light at the National Assembly.
Lending his voice on the petition sent by the National Assembly summoning the Speaker and leadership of the Assembly, Majority Leader Saater Tiseer said the notice sent by the National Assembly is out of ignorance.
He said, by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Benue State House of Assembly is not answerable to the National Assembly, saying section (101) has given the house the powers to legislate on its business without external control.
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.
He noted that the group in mentioning the names of the suspended members mentioned Hon. Peter Uche which shows that the group lacks knowledge of what transpired on the floor of the house that 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.
Members including Hon. Micheal Audu and Hon. Peter Uche condemned in totality the decision of the National Assembly and urged the Speaker and the leadership not to appear.
In Abuja, a group of lawyers, who protested at the National Assembly complex yesterday, claimed that the two Houses of Assembly in Benue and Zamfara States were unable to perform their duties due to internal crises and alleged interference by the governors.
In their petition to the Senate, the group known as Save Benue and Zamfara States Coalition called for the takeover of the functions of both Houses.
They claimed that 13 members of the Benue State House of Assembly were suspended for allegedly refusing Governor Hyacinth Alia’s instruction to suspend the Chief Judge of the state.
The lawyers added that in Zamfara, 10 lawmakers were suspended in February on the instructions of Governor Dauda Lawal, for raising the alarm over rising insecurity in the state.
The Sambari Benjamin-led coalition urged the Senate to invoke Section 11(4) of the Constitution, which allows the parliament to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of a state when the House of Assembly is unable to perform its functions.
It warned that the situation, if left unchecked, might lead to a state of emergency being declared in the two states.