Thirteen members of the Benue State House of Assembly have been suspended for dissociating themselves from the removal of the state Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambase.
Those suspended to include, Mr. Douglas Akya (Makurdi South), Mr. Jonathan Agbidye (Katsina-Ala East), Mrs. Beckie Orpin (Gboko East), Mr. Simon Gabo (Ushongo-Mata), Mr. Williams Ortyom (Agasha), Mr. Onah Blessed (Oju 1) and Mr. Elias Audu (Gwer East).
Others are Mr. Anyor Mato (Kwande East), Mr. Manger Manger (Tarka), Mr. Solomon Gyila (Gwer West), Mr. Samuel Agada (Ogbadibo), Mr. Abraham Jabi (Buruku) and Mr. Ezra Nyiyongo (Ukum).
The 13 members who had met after the plenary on Tuesday to dissociate themselves from the removal of the chief judge, said the purported removal of the state chief judge was “unconstitutional” and violated the principles of separation of powers and fair hearing which is necessary for the sustenance of democracy.
At an emergency plenary held on Wednesday, the Speaker of the House, Hyacinth Dajoh, announced three-month suspension on the 13 members for what the house described as “their dishonourable actions capable of casting aspersions and causing acrimony in the House”.
The House condemned the action of the 13 members, saying “some of the members after voting for the removal of the State Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambase, went back to address a press conference and denied voting in favour of the motion to remove the Chief Judge.”
The Majority Leader of the assembly, Saater Tiseer said they had in the last sitting received a complaint from the Attorney-General detailing allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, bribery and corruption, and other sundry allegations against the Chief Judge.
“After exhaustive deliberations, the House went into a division where 23 members out of 31 present voted in support of the recommendation to remove the Chief Judge,” Tiseer said.
He said after the House adopted the resolutions on the matter, the 13 suspended members, some of who voted for the removal of Justice Ikpambase, publicly dissociated themselves from the process in which they took part, thereby contravening Order IX, Rule 58(6) of the House Standing Rules.
The Majority Leader said the actions of the 13 members were not only dishonourable but an afterthought and a deceptive posture capable of causing acrimony and casting aspersions on the House and, among other prayers, called on the House to suspend them for a period of three months.
