Members of the Benue State House of Assembly have impeached their speaker, Terkimbi Ikyange, and other principal officers. Consequently, they elected Mr. Titus Ugba of Kyan constituency as Ikyange’s replacement.
The session was presided over by the Speaker pro-tempore, Alhaji Audu Sule (PDP) from Agatu constituency.
The new speaker Uba was the chamber’s majority leader and is of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The motion for Ikyange’s removal was moved by Mr. Richard Ujege (APC) of Konshisha constituency and seconded by Mr. Anthony Ogbu (APC) Ado constituency.
Ujege cited the alleged highhandedness of the former Speaker as reasons for his and other officers’ ouster.
In the new dispensation, Mr. Johnson Ahubi emerged the deputy speaker. The post of majority leader went to Mr. Avine Agbom (PDP/Makurdi North), who just defected to the party while Alhaji Audu Sule clinched the position of deputy majority leader.
The majority whip is Kester Kyenge (PDP) Logo state constituency. No fewer than 22 members were at the sitting.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the exercise, Ugba stated that the Eighth Assembly was a House that had come to do “what the people have sent them here to do. ”
He added: “And once they have noticed that there is anything that would tarnish the image of this Eighth Assembly, the House will rise up to that challenge and that is what it has just done today (yesterday). ”
