The Benue State House of Assembly has threatened legal action against the House of Representatives over the summons issued to the Speaker, Hyacinth Dajoh and the leadership of the House.
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions few days ago summoned the Governors of Benue and Zamfara states alongside the leadership of their Houses of Assembly to appear before the Committee on Thursday, May 8, 2025 to explain why their functions should not be taken over by the House of Representatives.
The summon was sequel to a petition allegedly written by a group, Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law urging the House to take over the functions of the two Houses of Assembly of the states.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Assembly Speaker, Terver Zamber in a statement, said the House also passed a resolution calling on the Speaker, Hyacinth Dajoh, to disregard the summons from the National Assembly.
The Assembly in the statement argued that “the summons contravene the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended.
“The House plans to take legal action against the National Assembly, while also requesting investigations by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Inspector General of Police into the individuals who signed the petition.
“The State House Assembly also called on the National Assembly Caucus from Benue State (Senate/ Reps) to come for proper engagement with the House to explain why the State is portrayed in bad light at the National Assembly.”
Lending his voice on the petition against the House, Majority Leader, Mr. Saater Tiseer noted that “the notice sent by the National Assembly was out of ignorance.”
According to him, “by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Benue State House of Assembly is not answerable to the National Assembly. Section (101) has given the House the powers to legislate on its business without external control.”
On his part, the Member representing Katsina- Ala West State Constituency, Peter Ipusu accepted the decision of the House to take the National Assembly to court adding that the Guidance of Democracy should be joined in the suit for misleading the National Assembly.
