The legislative assemblies in Benue and Zamfara states have firmly declined to respond to an invitation from the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, calling the move unconstitutional and beyond the federal legislature’s jurisdiction.
Last week, the committee summoned Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia and Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal, alongside their state assembly Speakers and other top lawmakers, requesting their appearance on March 8, 2025.
The purpose of the summons was to discuss concerns regarding their legislative operations and to justify why the National Assembly should not assume control of their duties.
On Tuesday, the Benue State House of Assembly passed a motion directing its Speaker, Hyacinth Dajoh, to disregard the invitation.
Lawmakers argued the summons breaches the 1999 Constitution, which grants state legislatures the authority to govern their internal procedures.
Majority Leader Saater Tiseer, who led the debate, dismissed the committee’s action as a misinterpretation of constitutional powers. He referenced Section 101, which allows the Assembly to manage its own affairs independently.
Other members, including Bemdoo Ipusu, Michael Audu, and Peter Uche, echoed Tiseer’s stance. Ipusu advocated for a legal challenge and accused a civic group known as Guardians of Democracy—believed to be behind the petition to the National Assembly—of misleading federal lawmakers.
Peter Uche also voiced concern about being named among allegedly suspended members, stating he has continued his legislative functions without interruption.
He maintained that the federal lawmakers acted on incorrect information.
In reaction to the summons, the Benue Assembly filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Makurdi. The case, identified as FHC/MKD/CS//45/2025, seeks a restraining order against the National Assembly’s attempt to intervene.
The court is set to hear the matter on May 14.
Among those listed as defendants are House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Public Petitions Committee Chairman Michael Etaba, the House itself, and members of the Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, including Emmanuel Onwudiwe.
The Benue lawmakers are requesting a judicial declaration affirming their independence and asserting that the National Assembly can only take over a state legislature’s duties when it is unable to function, as provided in Section 11(4) of the Constitution.
They argue that internal disciplinary matters do not meet that threshold and that the summons amounts to an unconstitutional intrusion.
Meanwhile, the Zamfara State House of Assembly also rejected the committee’s invitation. In an interview with The PUNCH, the chairman of the Zamfara House Committee on Information, Kabiru Dangulbi, stated that Governor Lawal would not honor the summons, describing it as lacking any legal foundation.
According to him, the governor respects constitutional processes and would not participate in proceedings that have no legal standing.
However, unlike Benue, Zamfara’s Assembly does not intend to take legal action, expressing confidence that the federal legislators will eventually recognize their error and withdraw the invitation.
