The crisis rocking the Plateau State House of Assembly deepens at the weekend as the reconciliation meeting called at the instance of Mustapha Dandaura, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone Four, comprising Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa State commands, failed to produce any agreement.
The embattled Speaker, Abok Ayuba, and 11 other lawmakers were the first to arrive the Police Officers Mess, Jos, venue of the meeting, at about 3.15pm before the newly posted Commissioner of Police, CP Bartholomew Nnamdi Onyeka, came in thereafter.
The new Speaker, Yakubu Sanda, and 11 other lawmakers came in 20 minutes later before the AIG arrived to start the proceedings.
The meeting ended about an hour later after all the parties involved took turns to address waiting reporters.
First to speak was Hon. Abok Ayuba, who commended the AIG for calling the meeting, but was quick to say that nothing had changed.
The embattled speaker said that while colleagues were open to peaceful resolution of the impasse, he was quick to point out that “from all indication due process was not followed all we are saying is that the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria should be respected.”
Hon. Abok said all his security details have been withdrawn and that “they have provided security to the illegal speaker so I don’t have
have security now so I’m going into hiding.”
The newly elected Speaker, Hon Yakubu Sanda on his part said, he was excited to see his colleagues again insisting that “there is no meaningful development that can take place without peace”
Hon. Sanda said he was the legitimate speaker of the House of assembly and extended an olive branch to the six members that were suspended, adding, “if they feel remorse about their actions, we are ready to welcome them back.”
AIG Dandaura on his part, said the Assembly would remain sealed until the lawmakers were able to iron out their differences.
According to him, “this is the first time we are meeting since that problem started and we are happy all the warring factions have expressed their own opinion and we have told them that this should not be the end of this meeting. They should go back to their various locations to convene another meeting.”
The AIG revealed that the police were willing to re-open the Assembly if and when the two sides would present a workable solution to the stalemate.
Danduara advised the lawmakers to quickly resolve their differences so that legislative business could resume at the house.
The Independent newspaper