By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State House of Assembly has rejected a summons issued by the National Assembly’s Committee on Public Petitions, describing it as unconstitutional and an overreach of federal legislative authority.
In a bold resolution passed on Tuesday, the House called on its Speaker, Hon. Aondona Dajoh, to disregard the summons and vowed to seek legal redress against the National Assembly.
The Assembly further requested the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Inspector General of Police to investigate the originators of the petition that led to the summons, suggesting a deliberate attempt to undermine the state’s legislative autonomy.
During plenary, Majority Leader of the House, Comrade Saater Tiseer, argued that the notice issued to the Speaker and House leadership to appear before the National Assembly on May 8 was based on “ignorance of constitutional provisions.”
He referenced Section 101 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers state assemblies to regulate their own procedures without external interference.
“The Benue State House of Assembly is not subordinate to the National Assembly. We have the constitutional backing to conduct our affairs independently,” Tiseer declared.
Echoing similar sentiments, Hon. Bemdoo Ipusu, representing Katsina-Ala West, endorsed the House’s decision to take legal action. He also suggested that the civic group; Guidance of Democracy, which allegedly misinformed the National Assembly, be included in the lawsuit.
Ipusu criticized the group’s credibility, pointing out its mention of Hon. Peter Uche among the suspended lawmakers — a claim he said reflects a clear misunderstanding of the events that occurred on the floor of the House.
“This Assembly is functional, united, and discharging its responsibilities efficiently. There is no breakdown of governance in Benue to warrant federal intervention,” Ipusu emphasized.
Other lawmakers, including Hon. Michael Audu and Hon. Peter Uche, also condemned the actions of the National Assembly.
Hon. Uche, in particular, expressed surprise at being listed among the suspended members despite actively participating in House proceedings. He described the petition as misleading and called on the leadership not to honour the summons.
The Benue Assembly also invited members of the National Assembly caucus from the state for an engagement session to clarify the state’s legislative position and protect its institutional integrity.
Meanwhile, National Record has gathered that a group of lawyers on Tuesday stormed the National Assembly, demanding a constitutional takeover of the Benue and Zamfara states’ assemblies over alleged illegal suspensions of members, a move that may have triggered the current face-off.
As tensions escalate, the unfolding legal and political battle could test the limits of legislative independence between state and federal assemblies in Nigeria’s democracy.
