8 Lawmakers Serve Gov Ortom Impeachment Notice
- As Benue crisis deepens
The emerging political climate in Benue State became cloudier on Monday with some All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly serving an impeachment notice on embattled Governor Samuel Ortom who recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) .
According to sources close to the governor, the impeachment move is part of the controversy rocking the Benue House of Assembly (BSHA) where former Speaker, Terkimbi Ikyange, was recently sacked by 23 members loyal to Governor Ortom.
Reports said the lawmakers, eight in numbers, were given effective police coverage as they took over the Assembly Complex and in the process denied access to Ortom’s loyalists.
A spokesperson of the eight lawmakers, who briefed journalists after their Monday’s sitting, also said that 16 of their colleagues are on six months suspension while the Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Ortom over alleged gross abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.
But reacting to the development, Governor Ortom’s spokesman, Tahav Agerzua confirmed to Premium Times that eight of 30 legislators took over the state parliament’s premises with alleged complicity by the police.
“They have taken over the House of Assembly and served the governor an impeachment notice despite a court order forbidding them from doing so,” Agerzua said.
He fingered former governor and serving APC senator, George Akume, as the brain behind the ugly development, claiming that the APC Chieftain ferried policemen from Abuja to aid the eight Assemblymen’s illegal attempt at removing the Governor from office.
The moves against Governor Ortom, who recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the APC, are fall-outs of the battle for the soul of Benue State between the governor’s camp and that of his estranged god-father, Akume come 2019.
Former Speaker Ikyange, accused of not carrying other members along in legislative activities, is touted as leader of the APC lawmakers considered as political godsons and allies of Senator Akume. They are said to have ran into troubled waters with their colleagues as a result of insistence to remain in the APC despite recent gale defection to the PDP.
Details coming soon….
