Benue State House of Assembly in turmoil; ...thugs snatched the Mace & turns Chamber to battle field

There was commotion at the Benue State House of Assembly, Thursday, following the alleged resignation of the Speaker, Mr. David Iorhemba.

Iorhemba allegedly tendered “a hand-written and unsigned letter of resignation” following accusations by members that he was not only high handed, reckless in the management of the finances of the House but misrepresented them before the Executive.
 
Few minutes after the Speaker’s resignation, thugs took over the Assembly Chamber and snatched the Mace just as they turned the complex into a battle field.


It was garthered that virtually all the members were thoroughly beaten up as they fled for safety.

Trouble started when members of G-24 in the House moved a motion through its Chairman, Mr. Baba Ode (Otukpo/Akpa Constituency) over the constitutionality of members to remove the Speaker when necessary, in accordance with Section 93 of the 1999 Constitution, and later presented a list of 28 members who had signed an impeachment notice against Iorhemba.

However, it was at this point that the Deputy Speaker, Dr. Stephen Onmeje, who presided over the sitting halted the process and informed the House of a purported letter of resignation that had been tendered by the Speaker.

The letter was received and read on the floor of the House without any further objection by members and Baba Ode then amended his motion for the adoption of the resignation letter. The new motion was seconded by Mr. Benjamin Adayi (Makurdi South) and it was unanimously adopted.

Meanwhile, the last might not have been heard about the alleged Speaker’s resignation, since his letter was not signed and therefore not valid and binding on him.