In a dramatic turn of events on Tuesday, the Benue State House of Assembly reversed its earlier decision and confirmed Timothy Yangien Ornguga, a law lecturer at Benue State University, as commissioner.
Ornguga, alongside James Dwem, had been rejected last week under the leadership of the former Speaker, Aondona Dajoh. But in a plenary session led by the new Speaker, Alfred Berger, lawmakers screened five additional nominees, including Ornguga, and confirmed them without resistance.
Reading a letter from Governor Hyacinth Alia, Speaker Berger explained that the governor insisted neither Ornguga nor Dwem had been convicted of any crime despite the petitions filed against them, urging the Assembly to clear both nominees. Surprisingly, lawmakers who had strongly opposed their appointments last week remained silent as the confirmations were announced — a move that bypassed the usual voice vote process.
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The session also saw a major political twist as the Assembly suspended former Speaker Dajoh for three months over allegations that he attempted to impeach Governor Alia. The motion, moved by Terna Shimawua of Kyan State Constituency and seconded by James Umoru of Apa Constituency, was unanimously upheld. Ironically, Shimawua himself had been suspended just last week by Dajoh before his resignation.
Berger, in ruling on the matter, reduced Dajoh’s earlier six-month suspension to three months, again without putting the decision to a voice vote.
