Dajoh emerges Benue Speaker after run-off

The Benue State House of Assembly has elected APC’s Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh as its speaker after two rounds of voting.

Dajoh, a first-time lawmaker in the assembly, won with 17 votes against 15 votes polled by his challenger, Mrs Becky Orpin, also a first-timer.

Daily Trust reports that the election was characterised by tension and rowdiness shortly after the state’s governor, Hyacinth Alia, proclaimed the new assembly.

The 32-member assembly is comprised of All Progressives Congress, (APC) with 22 seats, Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) nine and Labour Party (LP) one.

Both Dajoh (Gboko West) and Orpin (Gboko-East) scored 16 votes each in the first round of the election.

While there was a rowdy session on the floor of the assembly, tension built outside the complex as supporters of the contestants protested the outcome of the first voting.

A member representing Konshisha state constituency, Cephas Dyako, asked Governor Alia and his entourage to excuse the House before the second election commenced.

Dyako said with the presence of the governor, the Assembly was under pressure to do the bidding of the executive.

His request, however, caused an uproar in the House with some members supporting him, while others rejected his plea.

The governor however left before the commencement of the second round of voting at 3:30pm.