Drama as Governor Alia’s Candidate Floors SGF Akume’s Choice to Emerge Benue Speaker

• Hon Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, representing Gboko West constituency, has emerged as the Speaker of the 10th Benue State House of Assembly
• Dajoh scored 17 votes to defeat Beckie Orpin, who represents Gboko-East, in a keenly contested election
• It was gathered that Dajoh is Governor Hyacinth Alia's candidate while Orphin was the preferred choice of George Akume

Makurdi, Benue state - The anointed candidate of Governor Hyacinth Alia, Hon Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh, a first-timer in the parliament, has emerged as the Speaker of the 10th Benue State House of Assembly.

As reported by Daily Trust, Dajoh emerged as Speaker after polling 17 votes in a runoff election against 15 votes polled by the Secretary General of the Federation, George Akume’s preferred candidate, Mrs Beckie Orpin, who is also a first-time lawmaker.

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It was gathered that Dajoh’s emergence was not a smooth political journey as it has not without intrigues and power play behind the scene.

Before the inauguration of the assembly, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has announced Orphin as the chosen candidate for the position of speakership.

This was contained in a statement issued by Daniel Ihomun, the publicity secretary of the Benue APC, after the Working Committee of the APC summoned a stakeholders meeting.

The party's decision did not go down well with some of the party faithful, who felt the choice of Orphin was influenced by a ‘big man’ in the state.

The party faithful’s argued that for the smooth running of government, the state governor, Rev’d father Alia, should be allowed to decide who should emerge as the Speaker of the House.

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How Dajoh emerged as Benue Speaker

While preparing to be sworn in on inauguration day, 18 lawmakers-elect, mainly PDP members, alongside their APC counterparts, reportedly met with Governor Alia at the Government House in Makurdi.

After the first exercise, which commenced at about 11 am, Dajoh, representing the Gboko West constituency and Mrs Orpin, representing Gboko-East, got 16 votes each.

The state APC chairman observed the election with his supporters, who watched from the gallery of the Assembly complex and the governor and those on his side, including his newly appointed chief of staff, a former lawmaker, Paul Biam.

There was a need for the 32 members, consisting of an APC majority with 22 seats, PDP 9 and Labour Party (LP) 1, to conduct another round of elections.

The House reconvened for a fresh election at 3:30 pm, during which the new Speaker added a vote to win the contest.

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

Catholic Bishop, Hyacinth Alia, declared winner of Benue state governorship election

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Benue state, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has been declared the winner of the governorship election in Benue state.

The APC candidate was declared the winner of the election following results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

George Akume sworn in as SGF, makes promises to Nigerians

The newly sworn-in Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has made a promise to Nigeria after he was appointed by President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, June 2.

Akume promised not to disappoint Nigerians, President Tinubu, and his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Source: Legit.ng