Benue assembly suspends five members for ‘withholding’ information on LGA probe

The Benue state house of assembly has suspended five of its lawmakers for three legislative sittings for allegedly withholding vital information in the probe of Otukpo LGA.

The lawmakers were suspended during the plenary on Tuesday following the presentation of the report of the panel set up to investigate members of the standing committee on LG and chieftaincy affairs.

Those suspended are Terna Shimawua, Matthew Damkor, Cephas Dyako, Moses Egbodo, and Isaac Ochekyele.

The house committee was accused of giving incomplete information in its report on the investigation of alleged financial misconduct of Maxwell Ogiri, chairman of Otukpo LGA.

Solomon Gyila, a member of the panel, accused members of the house committee of tampering with the report.

Gyila alleged that some useful information was excluded from the report on the probe of Otukpo LGA.

He accused the Otukpo LGA chairman of selling government property, adding that the house committee’s report was different from the collective decision of the members.

Alfred Berger, a member representing Makurdi north, said Terna Shimawua, chairman of the house committee, should be suspended for three months for tampering with the report.

Berger accused Shimawua of hiding some things which the ad hoc committee had uncovered.

Douglas Akya, a member representing Makurdi south, said security agencies should be directed to take over the premises of Otukpo LGA headquarters to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

Elias Audu, a member representing Gwer east, urged his colleagues to be very careful with the issue of suspending members.

Audu said members of the house should be suspended from the committee and not from the house for a period of three months.

Ruling on the matter, Hyacinth Dajoh, the speaker, said members of the committee would be suspended for three legislative sessions.

Dajoh said for the time being he would be the chairman of the committee on LG and chieftaincy affairs.

In July, the assembly recalled seven members who were suspended in February for opposing the removal of Maurice Ikpambese as the Benue chief judge.