THE House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has summoned the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, and his counterpart in Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, over the crisis in the State Houses of Assembly.
Also summoned were the leadership of both legislative houses.
They are to appear before the lawmakers on Thursday, May 8, to explain why the functions of the Houses of Assembly should not be taken over by the House of Representatives.
This is sequel to a petition written by a civil rights organisation, Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, urging the House to take over the functions of the two Houses of Assembly.
The summons, sighted by The Guardian, was signed by Chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions, Mike Etaba, who noted that the invited parties are already aware of the facts of the case.
“Ours is to ensure that the rule of law is upheld at all times. The parties have a wonderful opportunity to state their cases clearly so that Nigerians can know what is going on. Anarchy would never be given any space in our polity,” Etaba maintained.
The Zamfara State House of Assembly is currently embroiled in crisis.
Some lawmakers, comprising four members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and six from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were suspended by the Assembly on February 27 for allegedly holding an illegal plenary.
Currently, two lawmakers, Bilyaminu Moriki and Bashar Gummi (representing Gummi I Constituency), are each laying claim to the position of Speaker.
The Gummi-led faction had convened a parallel sitting and purportedly impeached Moriki. In retaliation, the Moriki-led Assembly suspended 10 members allied with Gummi, accusing them of conducting an illegal session and declaring the impeachment attempt invalid.
In Benue, the House of Assembly suspended 13 lawmakers for three months for allegedly opposing the removal of Maurice Ikpambese, the state’s Chief Judge, whom they accused of gross misconduct and corruption.
The suspended lawmakers were said to have voted for Ikpambese’s removal but later dissociated themselves from the decision, citing procedural irregularities.
