By Asile Abel,Jos
Rt Hon Gabriel Kudangbena Dewan, the speakerof the 10th Plateau State House of Assembly has said he won’t be swearing in new members until January, added that the new members expected to join the assembly would not be sworn in until after the expiration of the previously declared two-month recess.
Addressing the alleged conspiracy over the house’s closure, the speaker clarified that he did not close the house purposely to prevent the swearing-in of incoming members. He emphasised that he had the legal authority to adjourn the house.
He explained, ‘The house adjourned the plenary till January 23rd when there was no court verdict yet, making the present members legitimate to decide on any motion. During the last sitting, a motion to adjourn plenary till January 23rd was moved and seconded without any contrary opinion. The house’s resolution has become a legal document. All present members agreed to return to their constituencies and engage with their constituents.
“So, any insinuation claiming that the house was closed to stop the swearing-in of the new members is not true. What I know is that even when the house made the decision, there were no new members. As a speaker, I was unaware that the PDP members would be sacked. So, plenary was adjourned three days before the judgment came.
“As far as I am concerned as the speaker, the new members are not yet part of my assembly because they have not presented their certificate of return to me. They will become my members only when they write to me through the office of the clerk. After that, I will invite them and officially inform them that the house is on recess and ask them to return when the house reconvenes.
“This has happened in many places, including the National Assembly. The house cannot interrupt its recess just because new members have arrived. It’s not done that way anywhere. It was the resolution of the house, adopted and now a legal document. I cannot go against that.
