Speakership Tussle: Police Seal Plateau Assembly Complex

The Plateau State Police Command has sealed the state House of Assembly Complex in order to forestall the breakdown of law and order following the reinstatement of former speaker Ayuba Abok by the state high court.

Officers of the state police command were at the assembly entrance early Wednesday barring anyone including staff from gaining access to the complex following threats from the warring factions to take over the assembly complex.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Bartholomew Onyeka, met with the factions for an amicable resolution of the crisis and is yet to make any statement on the issue.

The state assembly has been experiencing some relative peace since Abok’s impeachment until the state high court judgment ordering his reinstatement.

Justice Nafisat Musa in the judgment, granted all the reliefs of the claimants ruling that the impeachment of Abok as speaker is unconstitutional and against the house rules.

Shortly after the judgment, the reinstated speaker made an appearance at the assembly complex and presided over a plenary session with eight members in attendance.

In a swift reaction, the state government appealed the high court judgment and obtained a stay of execution on the reinstatement order.

However, the reinstated speaker insisted on continuing as the presiding officer; an action that did not go down well with the substantive speaker and some members of the house as well as the state government.

The police command has to wade into the situation by sealing off the assembly barring the two factions from accessing the complex to forestall any breakdown of law and order while discussions continue with the affected parties and the police.