Pandemonium As Abok-Led Group Gains Access To Assembly Complex, Security Teargas Impeached Plateau Speaker, Others
There was pandemonium at the Plateau State House of Assembly as security personnel dispersed members of the House sympathetic to the impeached former Speaker Abok Nuhu who broke into the House under the cover of darkness in the early hours of Monday, 1st November 2021 claiming to still be in charge.
Lawmakers loyal to the purportedly impeached Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Abok Ayuba gained access to the Assembly complex, as early as 6am on Monday.
However, one of the members (name withheld) had sent a message saying they were meeting within the complex.
Trouble started when the PDP lawmakers accompanied by the former Speaker allegedly scaled the fence to gain access to the chambers to record a video appealing for intervention. All of them were totaling 11 including the Speaker. They are
- Rt Hon Abok Nuhu Ayuba – Jos East
- Hon Philip Dasun – Pankshin North
- Hon Henry Longs – Pankshin South
- Hon Peter Gyendeng – Barkin Ladi
5 Hon Timothy Dantong – Riyom
- Hon Bala Fwangje – Mangu South
- Hon Nanbol Listick – Langtang North Central
- Hon Pirfa Tyem – Langtang North North
- Hon Sohchang Zingtim – Langtang South
- Hon Dalyop Fom – Jos South
- Hon Musa Agah – Rukuba/Irigwe
However, other members of the House in support of the new Speaker Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda soon stormed the House to challenge the illegal meeting but a fracas ensued among the two camps.
Soon afterwards, the security agencies moved in to forestall the breakdown of law and order as they ordered everyone out of the complex.
Those who resisted were tear-gassed as they scampered for safety. The hired youths of the opposition party who were also demonstrating outside the Assembly complex were equally ordered to leave the scene and those who resisted were tear-gassed.
Reports say that the members who sneaked into the House in the cover of the night destroyed the doors to gain access to the Chambers for their illegal activity without any staff of the assembly in attendance.
There is suspicion that they were aided by compromised security personnel who failed to maintain security in the House after recent developments.
In a short video being circulated, the former Speaker and his group were seen appealing to Governor Lalong and the President to intervene and help him get restored to office, a call many say is dead on arrival because the house is autonomous.
See Video Below:
At the sitting, Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Philip Dasun, (APC, Pankshin South) moved the motion for the suspension of six of the eight members that carried out what he described as an illegal impeachment.
Dasun’s motion was seconded by the Minority Leader, Hon. Peter Gyendeng, (PDP, Barkin Ladi).
Dasun also moved that a motion of vote of confidence be passed on Rt. Hon. Abok Ayuba as the authentic Speaker of the 9th State House Assembly.
The lawmaker challenged those who claimed to have collected 16 signatures required by law to impeach the Speaker to make it public.
