Asks Factions To Be guided by Rule of Law, Constitution, Set aside the impeachment

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA- THE Senate yesterday intervened in the political crisis rocking the Plateau State House of Assembly, just as it  condemning in very strong terms the alleged impeachment of the Speaker, Abok  Ayuba.

The Senate has asked the State House of Assembly to respect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and  be guided by the Rule of Law and the Constitution in all legislative business particularly where and when it affects appointment and impeachment of a presiding officer.

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According to the Senate, this is among others, designed to deepen democracy and uphold the independence of the legislature as an arm of government and set aside the impeachment.

Resolutions of the Upper Chamber yesterday were sequel to a motion entitled “Disruption of Legislative Business in Plateau State House of Assembly: Need for early intervention by the Senate to avoid deterioration” by Senator Istifanus Gyang, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Plateau North who drew the  attention  of his colleagues to the  disruption of legislative business in the State Assembly and calling on the upper legislative chamber to intervene.

It will be recalled that 8 out of 24 members of the Assembly had on October 24 impeached the Speaker, Abok Ayuba. The Deputy Speaker, Saleh Yipmong, who presided over the unusual sitting elected Yakubu Sanda, APC-Pengana as the new speaker.

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

Gyang said that the alleged impeachment of the speaker by eight members of the House fell short of the two-third constitutionally required number as provided for in Section 92(c) of the Constitution.

“The majority of the members of the House are opposed to the alleged impeachment and have pledged loyalty and solidarity with the speaker against those loyal to Sanda.

“The Conference of Speakers of the 36 States have denounced the alleged impeachment and withheld recognition for  Sanda.”

The lawmaker said that an impasse and stalemate had arisen which if left unattended to, may degenerate.

He reminded the Senate of 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.

Gyang called on the Senate to prevail on the warring factions to be guarded 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 North East who called on the Senate to immediately intervene and restore status quo in the state. 

He said, ” the behaviour of the members has the capacity to negatively affect the perception of the international community as the way we are running our democracy.

“If we do not react swiftly, we will be seen to be abdicating our own responsibility as enshrined in the Constitution as amended 1999.”

“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, Senator  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.

In his remarks, Lawan said “the governor can receive even if it is one member of the house of assembly who wants to see him as the head of government at that state level. 

“So if eight members or whatever number decided to go and visit him and he receives them, I don’t think the governor has done anything wrong. 

“What is wrong after investigation will be whether appropriate steps were taken. If they were not, certainly that is something  that the Senate, particularly, and the national assembly in general, will not tolerate.”