Senate condemns impeachment of Plateau speaker

▪︎Asks factions to respect constitution

The Senate on Tuesday waded into the political conflict of interest rocking the Plateau State House of Assembly; condemning in very strong terms the alleged impeachment of the Speaker, Ayuba Aboh by eight members of the state Assembly.

The Senate position followed a motion by Senator Istifanus Gyang (PDP), representing Plateau North, calling attention to the disruption of legislative business in the State Assembly and requesting the upper legislative chamber to intervene.

Explaining the situation in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Gyang noted that the alleged impeachment of the Speaker, Ayuba Aboh fell short of the provision of Section 92(4) of the 1999 Constitution and as such illegal.

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He reminded the Senate about Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution which empowers the National Assembly to intervene where a state House of Assembly is unable to conduct its affairs.

This was even as he called on the Senate to prevail on the warring factions to be guided by the principles of the rule of law and the constitution in the manner they conduct their legislative business especially as it applies to the impeachment of presiding officers.

In his contribution, Senator Gabriel Suswam (PDP), Benue Northeast backed the motion; calling on the Senate to immediately intervene and restore status quo in the state.

“The recalcitrant behaviour of 8 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly should concern us.

“It is not right for us to look the other way when democracy is under threat. The behavior of the members has the capacity to affect the perception of the international comity on the way we run our democracy.”

After a few back and forth with visible reluctance on the part of the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, the Senate granted the prayers of the mover of the motion asking it to condemn the situation in the Plateau State House of Assembly.