How Alia’s candidate defeated Akume’s to emerge Benue Speaker

The election of Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a first timer in the parliament, as the Speaker of the 10th Benue State House of Assembly, was not a smooth political journey, Daily Trust Saturday reports.

Hyacinth Aondonah won with 17 votes in a runoff election against 15 votes polled by his opponent, Mrs Beckie Orpin, also a first time lawmaker.

The new Speaker’s emergence did not come without intrigues and power play behind the scene, which actually began soon after the March 18 elections, where the then opposition APC defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Soon after the polls, discussion on who would become the Speaker of the 32-member House of Assembly started in hush tones. It was highly believed that Mrs Orpin would be favoured by the APC leadership in the state although many members of the party made case for Dajoh.

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As the discussion continued, it was reported that Dajoh escaped assassination in Gboko. His car was said to have been razed by his assailants.

Although some people alleged that the assassination attempt was connected to the speakership talks, the police only confirmed the incident without attributing it to politics.

The spokesperson of the police in Benue, SP Catherine Anene, had in a text message stated, “The attack on Aondona Dajoh is confirmed. Although he escaped unhurt, his vehicle was burnt.”

Consequently, the few months leading to the winding down of the last Assembly, the horse-trading behind the scene became obvious, even to a layman, on where the position was swinging to.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that there were underground activities in favour of the emergence of a male Speaker. It was also said that a former governor of the state on the platform of the PDP was solidly behind Dajoh’s quest to become Speaker.

To this end, the State Working Committee of the APC, before the inauguration of the 10th Assembly, precisely on June 4, summoned a stakeholders meeting, during which the party’s chairman, Comrade Austin Agada, warned against anti-party activities.

A statement to that effect signed by Daniel Ihomun, the publicity secretary of the APC in the state shortly after the meeting, indicated that Mrs Orpin was the chosen one for the position.

“The State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, today, June 4, 2023, during a stakeholders meeting at the party secretariat in Makurdi, in consultation with leaders and stakeholders on zoning arrangement, noted that with respect to the outcome of the meeting, which has zoned the Office of the Speaker of the 10th Benue Assembly to Zone B, Chief Mrs Beckie Torkwase Orpin (Gboko-East) was chosen as the party’s consensus candidate.

“We urge our party leaders, members and the people of Benue State to continue to support our party in this period of transition, bearing in mind that it is for the good of the good people of the state,” the statement read.

However, the position of the party, as gathered by our correspondent, did not go down well with some of the party faithful, who thought that the decision was influenced by a ‘big man’ in the state.

They also argued that the new governor should be allowed to decide who should emerge as the Speaker of the House, especially for the smooth running of his administration.

Consequently, on the day of the inauguration, while the lawmakers-elect were preparing to be sworn in, 18 of them, who were mainly PDP members, alongside their APC counterparts, reportedly met with Governor Hyacinth Alia at the Government House in Makurdi.

The 18 lawmakers were expected to do the bidding of the governor during the election of the Speaker in favour of Dajoh.

Daily Trust Saturday observed that the keenly contested election, which was characterised by tension and rowdiness shortly after Governor Alia proclaimed the new Assembly, reflects a crack in the state APC bloc.

The 32 members, consisting of an APC majority with 22 seats, PDP 9 and Labour Party (LP) 1, about 11am on the same Monday, went into a secret ballot for the speakership position, which did not produce a winner after the first exercise as Dajoh, representing Gboko West constituency and Mrs Orpin, representing Gboko-East, got 16 votes each.

Obviously, the outcome of the election divided the lawmakers into two factions. Also, the APC chairman with his supporters on one side watched the event from the gallery of the Assembly complex, while the governor and those on his side, including his newly appointed chief of staff, a former lawmaker, Paul Biam, also observed the situation.

It was widely believed that Dajoh, who was nominated by Shimawua Terna Emmanuel, who represents Kyan constituency in Vandeikya Local Government Area and seconded by Lami Danladi, who represents Ado constituency, had the backing of the governor.

During the nomination, Emmanuel argued that as a seasoned politician with good experience, Dajo would provide quality leadership for the 10th House of Assembly.

On the other hand, Orpin, who was nominated by Manger McClinton, representing Tarka constituency and seconded by Cephas Dyako of the Labour Party, representing Konshisha constituency, had the backing of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume and the APC leadership in the state.

In seconding the nomination, Dyako explained that in addition to zoning arrangement and competence, Mrs Orpin’s antecedents showed that she had the capacity to lead the House.

While accepting the nomination, Orpin said the world was becoming gender-sensitive; hence electing one out of the only two female legislators in the House would be a great idea.

While a rowdy session characterised the exercise on the floor of the House during the first ballot, tension built outside the complex as supporters of the contestants protested the outcome.

After the tie, the lawmakers requested that the election be conducted again.

However, the exercise could not go on immediately as there was commotion among the lawmakers, while the party chairman and chief of staff to the governor also bickered.

A member representing Konshisha constituency, Dyako, demanded that Governor Alia and his entourage should excuse the House before the second election would commence.

Dyako, a second term member said by their (Governor) presence, the House was put under pressure to do the bidding of the executive.

His request caused uproar in the House again, with some members supporting him while others rejected his plea.

As the commotion continued, the clerk of the House, Bernard Nule, a lawyer, gave Governor Alia the permission to stay, arguing that if the lawmakers did not object to his stay earlier, they were not expected to act otherwise because there was a tie in the election.

After several debates and pandemonium in the House, the clerk called for a break to enable the lawmakers lobby and consult in 10 minutes, after which they would reconvene.

The governor left immediately but the break lasted for several hours as the House reconvened for a fresh election at 3:30pm, during which the new Speaker added a vote to win the contest.

The Assembly also nominated Mrs Lami Danladi representing Ado constituency to emerge unopposed  as the Deputy Speaker of the House.

Meanwhile, supporters of Akume believe that the governor was too hasty in influencing the outcome of the election, arguing that the choice of the leader of the party in Benue/the North Central ought to be respected since he singlehandedly ensured the emergence of the clergy as the governor of the state.

On the other hand, Alia’s supporters believe that the governor should be allowed to rule the state in his capacity and not be controlled if he must excel in the mandate handed to him, largely because of his popularity, which coasted to victory for the APC.

Alia, who earlier proclaimed the 10th Assembly into existence, had during the inauguration, urged the new legislators to collaborate with the executive arm of government to deliver the much expected dividends of democracy to the Benue people.

The governor assured the lawmakers of his administration’s support at all times, and solicited for constructive engagements and support from the legislature and the judiciary to enable them actualise set goals.

“Due to the big role the legislature plays, side by side with the judiciary and the executive arms of government, we are fully prepared to respect the sanctity of the doctrine of separation of powers under democracy,” he said.

Alia promised not to interfere with the internal affairs of the legislature, especially in the election of its leaders, stressing, “We are prepared to meaningfully work with those you choose to lead the House.”