The Houses of Benue and Zamfara States Seriously Pose a Finger to the House of Representatives Committee's Summons, Touting It as Unconstitutional and a Unwarranted Invasion of State Legislative Powers
Refusal to Comply – Benue, Zamfara Disregard House of Representatives' Summons
Our grubby street-wise source has uncovered some spicy details: the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions last week issued summonses to the governors and assembly heads of Benue and Zamfara states, namely Hyacinth Alia and Dauda Lawal respectively, due to alleged governance crises.
The federal legislators believed the summoned officials should appear before them to justify why their powers should not be usurped under Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution.
Benue State Assembly Rubs Legislative Noses in It: "Your Moveuments Ain't Worth a Danged Tickle!"
On Tuesday, the Benue State House of Assembly boldly rejected the summons through a resolution, dissuading its Speaker, Hyacinth Dajoh, from gracing the hearing.
The Majority Leader of the House, Saater Tiseer, didn't mince words, branding the summons an encroachment on the Assembly's sovereign rights, citing Section 101 of the Constitution, which grants state legislatures the freedom to regulate their proceedings.
A wave of lawmakers, including Bemdoo Ipusu, Michael Audu, and Peter Uche, echoed the same battle cry. Ipusu demanded legal recourse against the National Assembly, asserting that the petitioners, Guardians of Democracy, had led the legislature astray.
Ipusu thundered, "The Benue Assembly is not a cluster of recluses; this is an overt attempt to seize our powers!"
Peter Uche expressed shock that he'd been enlisted among the allegedly suspended legislators. "I'm performing my duties," he said, "My inclusion in their ranks demonstrates they don't have a clue!"
Benue Assembly Locks Horns with Federal Government in a High Court Showdown
The Assembly has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Makurdi (Suit No. FHC/MKD/CS/45/2025), seeking an injunction to impede the National Assembly from executing any oversight or takeover plans.
The list of defendants includes the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; the Committee Chairman, Michael Etaba; the House itself; and members of the petitioning group.
The Benue Assembly is pleading the court to pronounce it as autonomous and shield it from federal intrusion unless authorized by the Constitution.
Zamfara: The Crimson-Faced House of Representatives Squanders Its Summons on a Deaf Ear
In the face of Zamfara's rejection, the State Assembly also tossed the summons into the trash, vowing that Governor Dauda Lawal would not step foot in front of the committee.
Addressing The PUNCH, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Kabiru Dangulbi, assured us that the governor is an upstanding citizen who would not reply to an unconstitutional summons.
Unlike Benue, Zamfara has no intention of seeking legal resolution. According to Dangulbi, "We trust the discernment of the National Assembly shall prevail, and this matter will be abandoned."
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- The Benue State House of Assembly defiantly dismissed the summons from the House of Representatives Committee, asserting that their proceedings are self-regulated under Section 101 of the Constitution.
- In a bold move, the Benue Assembly has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Makurdi, aiming to restrict the National Assembly from any oversight or control over the state's legislative body.
- The chairman of the House Committee on Information in Zamfara State, Kabiru Dangulbi, assured The PUNCH that Governor Dauda Lawal would not heed the summons, citing it as unconstitutional.
- Bemdoo Ipusu, a member of the Benue Assembly, demanded legal action against the National Assembly, accusing the petitioners, Guardians of Democracy, of leading the legislature astray.
- In response to the summons, Peter Uche, a member of the Benue Assembly, felt compelled to assert his legitimacy in his duties and questioned the allegations that he was suspended.
- The APC leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, unveiled proposed tax reforms, creating a buzz in today's policy-and-legislation and general-news sectors.
- Former PDP governor Sule Lamido issued a warning, asserting that the destruction of his political party could have significant repercussions for Nigeria as a whole.
- The police in Belgium and the United Arab Emirates successfully apprehended two international fugitives, marking a significant accomplishment in their ongoing efforts against crime.
