Benue State House of Assembly
Barely 21 days after the emergence of Alfred Emberga as the new Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, the lawmakers have appointed new principal officers to run its affairs.
Moving the motion to effect changes in the principal officers at the House of Assembly on Thursday on the floor of the House, which was presided over by the Speaker Alfred Emberga, the former Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Douglas Akya (APC/Makurdi South), stressed the need to change the house principal officers.
Akya in his submission pointed out that since he is from the same local government with the Speaker, it would not be morally right for him to continue to function as the Deputy Majority Leader of the house.
According to the lawmaker, it was morally right for him to step aside and allow the house to appoint another member from a different area to occupy the position of the deputy majority leader.
The legislator explained, further, that it was the speaker and the deputy speaker that were elected but every other principal officers were appointed and should be dissolved.
Mr Cyril Ikong (APC/Oju), while seconding the motion noted that the motion was apt.
In his ruling, the speaker, who presided over the assembly put the motion to vote and members voted unanimous that the officers that were appointed into various offices ranging from the majority leader down to the deputy minority Whip be dissolved and new persons appointed to man the various offices.
The speaker in compliance, announced Pharm. Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West) as the new Majority Leader to replace Saater Tiseer (APC/Mbagwa, Ushongo), Dr Abraham Jabi (APC /Buruku) as the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Cyril Ikong (APC/Oju) as Majority Chief Whip and Mr Simon Gabo (APC/Mata) as the Deputy Chief Whip.
Others principal officers appointed includes, Mr Abu Umoru (PDP/Apa) as the Minority Leader, Mr Cephas Dyako (LP/Konshisha) as the Deputy Minority Leader, while Mr Samuel Jiji (PDP/Logo) is to serve as the Minority Chief Whip and Mr Moses Egbodo (PDP/Obi) as Deputy Minority Whip.
