Benue Assembly rejects Commissioners’ screening over governor’s refusal to buy official vehicles for lawmakers

The Benue State House of Assembly has declined screening of Commissioner nominees sent to it for screening and confirmation, saying that Governor Hyacinth Alia has no respect for the legislature.

The governor sent fresh list of nominees to the House for screening and confirmation following the reshuflement of cabinet a fortnight ago.

Advertisements

During the plenary on Friday, lawmakers stated that Governor Alia has refused to address important issues bordering the House which were tabbed before him,

The aggrieved lawmakers pointed how governor Alia refused to buy officials cars for the affected members.

Advertisements

The House which was presided by the Rt.Hon. Hyacinth Dajoh  resolved  not to honour request from the governor until their requests were fulfilled.

The position of the Assembly members was made known in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Terver Zamber.

The decision of the House followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Shimapever Jiji, in which he submitted that Governor Alia had often treated the Assembly, its resolutions and recommendations with “total disregard”.

Seconding the motion, Thomas Dugeri said Alia had not addressed several critical issues previously raised by the Assembly.

“The governor has no respect for this hallowed chamber,” he said.

Other members who spoke during the plenary also supported the stance of the first speakers, arguing that the decision to refuse the request from the Governor was not intended to stall governance but to uphold the Assembly’s independence and compel the executive to fulfil its obligations.

They added that before commissioners are screened, the governor must first demonstrate a commitment to prior agreements and respect the House’s resolutions.

The lawmakers listed their demands, including the immediate provision of official vehicles to affected members and the enforcement of suspension notices issued to the chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the chairman of Otukpo Local Government Council, and the executive secretary of the Benue State Sports Lottery and Marketing Board.

Advertisements