The Benue State House of Assembly has suspended four members for allegedly constituting a clog in the smooth running of its legislative business.
The affected members include Solomon Gyila (Gwer West Constituency), Douglas Akya (Makurdi South Constituency) Dyako Ashwa (Konshisha Constituency) and Anthony Agom (Okpokwu Constituency).
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They were suspended for three months following a motion by the Majority Leader of the House, Saater Tiseer and seconded by Peter Ipusu of Katsina-Ala West State Constituencies.
The suspension of the four members came shortly after elders of the party met at the Government House to pass a vote of confidence in the governor whom both the state working committee and the local government chapters have moved against. The APC elders led by former Senate President, Ameh Ebute, and many others called for an emergency stakeholders’ meeting to resolve all internal issues, a few moments before the suspension of the lawmakers for allegedly frustrating Monday’s plenary.
Addressing journalists, Ameh Ebute, former Nigerian Senate President said: “Through the wake of the 3rd Republic, I have not relented in my participation in active politics as I have participated actively and continuously in partisan politics; I have watched keenly as political events unfolded. I believe it is time for me to intervene and bring democracy to its proper position.
“The Nigerian people are entitled to enjoy democracy and its dividends; and these principles must be enthroned. I am willing to sacrifice myself again, as we did during the invasion by the military, with sincerity and courage. I am a member of the Board of Trustees, Member of the National Caucus of the APC at the National level and an Elder of APC and leader of the party both in my Local government, Okpokwu and my State, Benue State. I was also the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Council, the National Open University of Nigeria from 2014 to 2019. I have remained in active private Legal practice till date.
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“As an elder with vast experience, I believe I can conveniently be a binding force within the party and unite the party,” he said.
“The leadership of the APC in Benue and the governor has been on a collision course over power sharing formula since June 2023,” he further said.
