Drama as Benue lawmakers scale fence to enter Assembly Complex, impeached Speaker bags six months suspension

Members of Benue State House of Assembly, on Friday, scaled the high perimeter fence surrounding the Assembly Complex in Makurdi and jumped into the premises in an attempt to hold a parliamentary session.
Both the impeached speaker, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange (APC Ushongo ) and his successor, Mr Titus Ubah, (APC Kyaan) were at the premises, both laying claim to the post of speaker.
Supporters of both sides forced their way into the  premises through the high wall.
Both groups were, however, prevented from gaining entry into the main lobby of the complex to hold their meetings.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Moses Yamu,  refused to either answer calls to his telephone line or reply text messages sent to him on the matter.
Ikyange was removed by 21 of 30 members of the House on July 24 during an emergency sitting.
The Assembly had adjournment on July 10 to resume on August 15.
Ikyange had said that he remained the speaker since the right procedure was not followed in the impeachment process.
He said since the House was under adjournment, there were only two principal officers who could reconvene it, namely, the speaker and the deputy speaker.
He said none of the two officers reconvened the assembly.
On the other hand, lawmakers loyal to the new speaker quoted the Standing Rules of the House to justify their action.
They claimed that in the absence of the two presiding officers, they could elect a pro-tempo speaker to preside.
Meanwhile, Ikyange has been suspended by his colleagues for six months for what they called “unparliamentary behaviour”.
The legislators took the decision on Friday during their sitting at the Old Banquet Hall of Government House, Makurdi.
The legislators could not hold their parliamentary session at the Assembly Complex because the police locked the main entrance to the building.
The action compelled some legislators to scale the Assembly high walls to enter the premises only to discover that the chambers were also securely locked.
Following their inability to hold their sitting at the assembly complex, they relocated to the Government House Banquet Hall to conduct their business.
The motion for Ikyange’s suspension was moved by the Majority Leader, Mr Avine Agbom, who cited the news conference granted journalists by the impeached speaker, insisting that he was still Speaker amounted to unparliamentary conduct which deserved suspension.
He explained that 21 out of 30 legislators legislators, at their emergency meeting on July 24, passed a vote of no confidence on Ikyange and other Principal Officers and eventually impeached them.
He said the action taken against the principal officers was legal and in compliance with the House Standing Rules.
According to him, such a behavior is against the parliamentary rules and because of that singular act and other sundry issues standing against him, he needs to be suspended.
He also accused the former Speaker of using official vehicles to block the main entrance of the Assembly Complex, thereby preventing them from entering the chambers.
Agbum regretted that in spite of the impeachment of the Speaker, the police were still supporting his actions.
He said the staff of the Assembly, who were civil servants, were also prevented from entering the complex.
The motion was seconded by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Egli Ahubi, who said that “the motion for suspension is apt and timely too”.
Ruling on the matter, the Speaker, Mr Titus Uba, said that Ikyange had violated the House Rules as such the motion calling for his suspension was in order.
Uba, therefore, handed down a six months suspension on his predecessor.
The House had adjourned from July 10 to August 15 by the impeached Speaker but a section of the lawmakers, numbering 21 had on July 24, reconvened to impeach him and other principal officers.
Ikyange described his impeachment as an “act of illegality” and insisted he was still Speaker.