Plateau Assembly Crisis: Lawmakers Call for Buhari’s Intervention

Seriki Adinoyi

Embattled Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Ayuba Abok,and other members of the House loyal to him, have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the crisis bedeviling the assembly.

Abok was on October 27 impeached by eight members of the assembly and elected Yakubu Sanda as the new Speaker.

However, Abok and members of the house loyal to him held a session outside the assembly complex same day during which they suspended six of the members that impeached him, and declared him(Abok) as the authentic speaker of the house.

But Governor Simon Lalong had recognised Sanda as the new speaker of the assembly.

However, Abok and the lawmakers loyal to him gained access to his office yesterday and were holding an executive session preparatory for a sitting when some youths staged a protest in front of the assembly complex in support of Abok.

Security personnel have been deployed to the assembly with the Commissioner of Police in the state, Edward Egbuka ,and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant, Alexander Barunde supervising.

The lawmakers in a video recorded in the chamber of the assembly and made available to journalists, appealed to the president and Plateau elders to end what they called “the impunity and the siege on the assembly by security personnel”.

The Deputy Majority Leader of the legislature, Phillip Dasun, who is loyal to Abok ,said that Abok remained the speaker of the assembly.

“Today the first of November 1, 2021, we the 12 members are supporting Abok the Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, that was duly elected by constitutional provision.

“As you can see his picture is still on the wall not tempered with, his name tag is still intact, the mace is still here to tell you that there was only an attempted impeachment, our speaker was not impeached, whatsoever.

“We are only calling for attention from the governor of this state, to disregard any illegal speaker presented to him and authorize the legitimacy of the speaker unanimously voted by 24 members of this assembly.

“We are not hear to fight, we are not here to cause conflict but calling on government to reinstate our speaker whom the Plateau people are well pleased with.

“We are calling on goverenment to reinstate our speaker, he has been firm, he has been dogged and he stood for the people of Plateau.

“For me,I consider him as Commander-In-Chief of formidable accomplishments in this 9th Assembly.

“We are calling on the President of Nigeria, we are here in the hallowed chamber, the chamber that is sacred to us, a chamber the president respects at the National Assembly, we expect the governor to respect this chamber.

“Please,Mr President, intervene and salvage democracy in Nigeria, gone were the days in 1999 when democracy returned, 20 years down the line, to what extent can we condone this impunity, to what extent can we condone this legislative rascality,” he said..

Dasun, who is also the Chairman,House Committee on Information and Communication,called on all well meaning Nigerians to intervene in the situation.

He thanked civil society organisations, youths, the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN) and the Jama’atul Nasri Islam(JNI) for their support.

“We learnt that you have been outside since morning to support us, we are happy with your actions,” he said.

Ayuba,who also spoke in the video said that they were in the hallowed chamber which he said was sacred, and that they would not accept any siege by security personnel.

The embattled speaker called on security agencies to respect the rule of law and respect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We are here, we are going to stay here until the Plateau elders come in and intervene in this illegality,” he said.

Meanwhile, Abok and 10 other lawmakers were taken away by the Police to an unknown destination.

The lawmakers were smuggled out of Assembly complex through the back Southern Gate into four awaiting Hilux vans before they were taken away by security men led by the State Commissioner of Police, Ebuka.

When repeatedly asked by reporters if he was under arrest, Abok replied, “I cannot say whether I am under arrest or not at the moment.”

The members, who were unruffled, said: “We are firm and resolute in our duties to the Plateau people that voted us to the House in our struggle to fight to a logical conclusion until the Speaker is reinstated.”

Member representing Langtang South, Hon Zingtin Sohchang said: “We are now being bungled into four Hilux vehicles by security men to yet to be ascertained place, and if after 20 minutes you call us and no response, you should know that we have been taken to an unknown place.”

However, the stern looking police men deployed to the Assembly prevented journalists from accessing the complex.

It was later gathered that the faction opposed to the Speaker called on Commissioner of Police to get the Speaker and the other lawmakers arrested for breaking into the House in the early hours of Monday.

A member of the House who disclosed this, described what the Speaker and the 13 Lawmakers did as criminal.

The Police have tear-gassed the protesters and the situation brought under control.

Meanwhile, Sanda has suspended Abok and other lawmakers loyal to him.

Addressing a plenary session, Sanda said it is with all sense of humility and honour that I address you on this second plenary session of the House since you unanimously elected me as your Speaker.

“Let me once again appreciate you for the confidence reposed in me as a first among equals and also assure you that I will do my utmost best to justify the confidence and trust you have bestowed upon me.

“Earlier this morning, we woke up to yet another attempt by some disgruntled members who in desperation to perpetuate the former speaker of the House broke into the chambers and took the House hostage to stage an illegal sitting and make an address aimed at ridiculing this honourable House. This is another sad day in the life of this House.

“In the light of the above, I call on the Honourable members to remain resolute and determined to resist any attempt to take us back to needless rancour, crises and instability orchestrated by a few members who clearly do not have the interest of the people of Plateau at heart.

“Having convened an illegal sitting in an event hall in Zawan last week where they announced a sham and baseless suspension of the authentic leaders and members of this House, as well as breaking into the hallowed chambers of this Honourable House this morning 1st November 2021 to further denigrate the House. This House must take firm measures to forestall such occurrences from happening again.

“Accordingly, this House hereby suspends the following members with effect from today, 1st November 2021 till further notice: Hon Nuhu Abok Ayuba – Jos East; Hon Henry Longs – Pankshine South; Hon Dangtong Timothy – Riyom; Hon Musa Agah – Rukuba/Iregwe; Hon Bala Fwanje – Mangu South; Hon Nambol Listic – Langtang North.”

“We hereby declare the former Speaker wanted for conduct inimical to the interest of the House and call on the security agencies to arrest him for parading a fake mace. Furthermore, the House has set up two committees to investigate the former Speaker financial embezzlement and misappropriation.

“Similarly, the security agencies have been directed to take charge of the House and ensure that the suspended members are not allowed access to this Honourable House while their suspension persists.”