From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Majority Leader, Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Saater Tiseer, has explained real reasons why the house suspended four of its last Monday.
According to him the members wanted to frustrate and embarrass the state Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia.
Hon. Tiseer who represents Mbagwa State Constituency in Ushongo Local Government Area, gave this explanation while speaking with newsmen on Tuesday night in Makurdi.
Recall that on Monday, December 4, 2023, the house suspended four of its members including Douglas Akya, representing Makurdi South who is the leader of the G-22 and his executive members, Cephas Dyako, (Konshisha), Andrew Agom, (Okpokwu) and Solomon Gyila (Gwer West), for three months.
The Majority leader also, accused the leadership of G-22, a pressure group in the house made up of members not holding positions, of an attempt to create an alternative house.
He said leadership of the house got hint of plans by the group which is not recognized by the house to cause confusion during its executive session and took the action in accordance to its rules.
“We had all convened to sit, the first to hold after the PASAN strike which was resolved a week ago. We sat in Executive session to itemize the things we are going to discuss that day and if we have issues concerning members, we discussed them, this is to avoid unnecessary arguments on the floor of the house and allow us run smoothly the business of the day.
“That morning, the Executive session was successful. We had stood to go into the chamber when the leader of G-22, a pressure group in the house made up of members who are not in leadership to interface with leadership of the House led by Hon. Douglas Akya said they will not leave insisting that the Speaker should address them.
“But he (Speaker) had just finished addressing them. I tried to intervene but they said the Speaker must address them. I went over to the Speaker and asked him he speak to them but he reminded that he had asked them if there were any other issue before we ended the session and they said no and he refused to go and address them saying if they want to sit, they can sit.
“But before then, we got a hint that something was going to happen because they wanted to frustrate and embarrass the Governor and we felt that was unnecessary. In every sitting we just need one third of the house population to form a quorum. So, as majority leader we negotiated and canvassed support to the get the quorum so that we can sit.
“This thing I’m telling you took more than two hours and it attracted attention from outsiders. It was necessary we sat to avoid embarrassment. It is one too many to say the house wasn’t going to sit because of protest and what are you protesting for, we don’t know. They didn’t state any reason why they wanted the speaker to address them.
“They mentioned that they needed to do foreign travels and do not know whether the Governor has signed it but they had an opportunity to state it but wanted to cause an embarrassment. We knew where they were coming from.
“Leadership has benefits and consequences, the four members suspended are leaders of the G-22, the chairman and his executive. They are not an alternative house, they are not the ones driving the house. They are there just to reason with us on their welfare in case we forget about it. They are not suppose to constitute another sitting. We suspended them based on our rules and the Speaker has the right to do so,” he said.