- Demands N2bn, Immediate Reinstatement
By Amos Aar
SUSPENDED Benue lawmaker, Rt. Hon. Aondona Dajoh, who recently resigned speakership position under duress has sued the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, the entire Assembly, and top security chiefs at the National Industrial Court in Abuja, accusing them of illegally shutting him out of office and violating his constitutional rights.
In suit No. NICN/ABJ/368/2025, Dajoh is asking the court to nullify his six-month suspension, which began in November 2025, describing it as a politically-motivated punishment imposed without fair hearing.
He argues that the action contravenes sections 36(1) and 101 of the 1999 Constitution and the Assembly’s own Standing Orders adopted in May 2023.
In the court document accessed by National Record, the lawmaker alleges that the Assembly also withheld his monthly overhead and emoluments of N8 million, which he says constitutes an abuse of office. He is therefore seeking an order compelling the defendants to pay all accrued allowances from November 2025 until full compliance.
Dajoh is further asking the court to reinstate him immediately as member representing Gboko West State Constituency, with full privileges restored, and to stop the Speaker, Assembly, police, military, and DSS from taking any step aimed at barring him from the chambers.
He is demanding N1 billion as general damages for mental and psychological distress and another N1 billion as aggravated damages for what he calls “unconscionable conduct” in suspending him twice, first for three months, and again for six months on the day the first suspension expired.
The suit seeks judicial clarification on whether the Assembly’s actions meet constitutional standards of fairness and legality.
According to the document, the matter is awaiting assignment for hearing.
