Heavy security in Benue Assembly as speaker survives impeachment plot

- Security was tightened at the premises of Benue state House of Assembly on Tuesday, July 10, over alleged plot by members to impeach their speaker, Terkimbi Ikyange

- The development was as a result of speculations of bitter rivalry currently brewing between Governor Samuel Ortom and the leader of the ruling APC in the state

- Speaker Ikyange also noted that the heavy presence of security operatives in the Assembly complex was to ensure adequate security in the House

There was heavy security presence, on Tuesday, July 10, within and around the premises of Benue state House of Assembly over alleged plot by members to impeach their speaker, Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange.

Daily Trust reports that the development was not unconnected with rumours of bitter rivalry currently existing between the state governor, Samuel Ortom and the leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator George Akume ahead of the 2019 election.

Legit.ng gathered that Ortom and his supporters have perfected plans to defect from the APC following the party's alleged move to deny the governor its ticket to re-contest in 2019 but Akume was said to have threatened the governor not to dare him by leaving the party on which platform he won the 2015 election for another.

READ ALSO: Crisis hit new PDP coalition as 20 political organisations pull out

It was learnt that the senator had allegedly perfected arrangement with his loyalist, one of who is the speaker of the House to impeach the governor, a development said to have irked other lawmakers in the opposition party to plot the removal of the speaker expected to have been carried out yesterday.

The House at its sitting on Tuesday, July 10, following the insistence of the speaker, to reconvened at a later date arrived at a resolution to adjourned until July 15.

The speaker, Ikyange, answering questions from newsmen shortly after the adjournment denied the impeachment plot against himself and even the governor.

According to him, “The House, as an institution, has members that represent various constituencies and the House has its own way of conducting its business.

“The Assembly has full respect for the governor and we are in support of him. There is nothing to suggest that the house is planning to impeach the governor. But as much as I can tell you over the three years that I have been the Speaker, there had never been any cause to worry over any issue.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app

“We have been working together and there is perfect understanding particularly between the leadership and other members of the house.

“And there hasn’t been any reason for us to disagree but there has been little political instability particularly in the APC for the past few weeks so to speak, just some little disagreement among various interest groups.

“Since the House of Assembly is made up of members of different political parties, particularly, APC in control, there is the likelihood of agitations and that is not enough to constitute any wrangling, but just last week the members passed vote of confidence in me.“

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state was summoned over the continuous killings by the State House of Assembly.

The assembly wants the governor to explain the actions taken by the state security council to halt invasion by suspected herdsmen. Governor Ortom will appear before the House at its plenary on Wednesday, May 2.

The House resolved to suspend plenary for one week in solidarity with the victims of the continued attacks in different parts of the state.

Victims of herdsmen killing buried in Benue state on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng