The Plateau State House of Assembly on Tuesday confirmed the list of caretaker committee members to run the affairs of 17 Local Governments Councils of the state.
The state Governor, Barrister Simon Lalong, had some weeks back dissolved the democratic structures of the 17 Local Government Councils over “monumental corruption in the councils”.
The Peoples Democratic Party supporters group has protested to the Assembly complex claiming the removal of the elected Council members was unlawfully done and should be corrected.
This led to a clash between All Progressives Congress and PDP youths recently.
The ousted council chairmen had since filed a suit at the Federal High Court challenging their dissolution.
But Lalong, also a lawyer, said there was no going back on his decision.
Even the House members had been engaged in a feud resulting in a free for all among themselves.
On Tuesday, again, there was another drama when PDP supporters stormed the House.
The proceedings, which lasted for about 30 minutes between 12:30 and 1pm, witnessed the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Peter Azi, communicating the content of the letter from the office of Lalong, intimating the House about the names of the chairmen, secretary and other members that constitute the councils.
Soon after reading the letter, of which no member objected to its content, Azi put the matter to voice voting and majority of members answered yes in favour.
Commenting after the House proceedings, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, said the PDP Caucus was not happy with the way the matter was handled.
Gagdi said: “The power of the House of Assembly is the gavel.
“The power of the House of Assembly is the Presiding Officer.”
He said though the right thing on the issue of the dissolution of the Councils was not done, but “they (the Governor) have already used the House to get what they want.”
In his comment, the Majority Leader, Daniel Dem, said they had allowed the speaker to read out the letter, as he insisted, with the thinking that they will kill the matter since it is in court.
Dem said: “We said Mr. Speaker, if you are insisting, let us discuss it on the floor.
“Don’t be too smart to say you will hit at the gavel.”
Dem said the PDP Caucus considered the development “unfortunate”.
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