Anastasia Okechukwu Reporting
The Plateau state police command has sealed the house of assembly complex as a result of the ongoing speakership crisis.
It was gathered that operatives of the police stormed the complex in the early hours of Wednesday, sealed entrance and preventing anyone including staff from entering the complex.
The State Commissioner of Police, Bartholomew Onyeka, met with the factions to find a solution to the crisis and is yet to make any statement on the issue.
Recall that the Plateau State House of Assembly became divided into two factions, with one faction being loyal to the current Speaker, Rt. Hon Yakubu Sanda, while the other faction is loyal to the reinstated Speaker, Ayuba who was impeached in October 2021.
Ayuba was impeached by some members of the assembly in 2021 and was immediately replaced with Sandra who represents Pengana Constituency.
However, Ayuba challenged his impeachment at the State High Court where he sought a declaration that the procedure adopted for his impeachment was in violation of the provisions of Section 92 (2) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Order 7, Rule 14 of the Plateau State House of Assembly Rules 2021.
On Monday, April 3rd 2023, the court declared Ayuba’s impeachment as null and void and reinstated him as the speaker.
After Aboke reinstatement, he insisted on continuing as the presiding officer which did not go down well with the substantive speaker and some members of the house as well as the state government.
This led to the police command to get involve by sealing off the assembly and barring the two factions from entering the complex to forestall any breakdown of law and order.