The Benue State House of Assembly has suspended its former Speaker, Aondona Dajoh, for three months—just two days after his resignation.
Dajoh, who stepped down last week citing good faith and the state’s interest, was sanctioned on Tuesday over allegations that he attempted to impeach Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The suspension followed a motion by Terna Shimawua, representing Kyan Constituency, and seconded by James Umoru of Apa Constituency. Shimawua himself was among lawmakers suspended by Dajoh in a heated session last Friday before the Speaker resigned.
Presiding over the plenary, new Speaker Alfred Berger approved the motion and reduced the proposed suspension from six months to three. The decision, unusually, was made without a voice vote—a departure from the chamber’s standard practice.
In a separate development, the Assembly reversed its earlier rejection of some commissioner nominees. Law lecturer Timothy Yangien Ornguga, previously blocked under Dajoh’s leadership, was confirmed on Tuesday.
Reading a letter from Governor Alia, Speaker Berger also announced the screening of five additional nominees, including Ornguga and James Dwem. The governor argued that although petitions had been filed against some candidates, none had been convicted of wrongdoing and urged lawmakers to endorse them.
In a twist, members who had earlier opposed the nominations raised no objections, and the confirmations were carried out without the customary voice vote.
