BSU Lecturer Rejected as Commissioner Nominee
A lecturer from Benue State University (BSU), Prof. Yangien Ornguga, who was nominated for a Commissioner position, was rejected by the Benue State House of Assembly. The House also requested the Governor to replace his name along with another nominee.
The primary reason for the lecturer’s rejection was the receipt of four petitions against him, three from his former students and one from a family within his community. These petitions accused him of exhibiting a vindictive nature and intimidating his students.
Also, several social media accounts received unofficial complaints stating similar concerns about his conduct.
One notable allegation against him involved unfairly failing a student. When the student reported the issue to the dean of the faculty, an independent committee was established to review the case. Upon re-evaluation, the student’s grade was changed from an F to a B, confirming the initial assessment was unjust.
Sources say his rejection by the House angered the Governor, as the nominee was a candidate nominated by a first-class traditional ruler in Benue State. This led to the resignation of the former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly.
Benue Speaker Dajoh ‘Removed’ for Rejecting Tor Tiv, Alia’s Nominee
The immediate-past Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, Aondona Dajoh, was forced to resign his position for presiding over the House session where the nomination of a Commissioner-nominee, Prof. Yangien Ornguga, was rejected.
This was disclosed by a Lagos-based journalist and former spokesman to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Ismail Omipidan, on Sunday.
Reports have it that Dajoh abruptly resigned as Speaker on Sunday afternoon and, hours later, a suspended member of the House, Hon. Alfred Berger Ermberga, was sworn in as the new Speaker.
Recall that the new Speaker was part of the quartet suspended from the House a couple of days ago over the alleged plot to remove Speaker Dajoh.
However, the highwire Benue politics got to a crescendo on Sunday when the leadership of the State Assembly changed without any official reason.
But Omipidan, a native of Osun State, who was incidentally born in Otukpo in Benue State, took to his verified Facebook page on Sunday night to provide fresh perspectives to the development, saying Dajoh was punished for exerting the independence of the state legislature.
Journalist’s Insight
In a short piece titled ‘Benue House: Why Speaker Dajoh was removed’, Ismail Omipidan, who described Dajoh as courageous, however, said that he knew that the former Speaker would pay for his ‘sin’.
He wrote:
“The former Speaker, Aondona Dajoh was courageous in carrying out the screening of nominees for the position of commissioners last week.
But I knew the rejection of the younger brother of the Tor Tiv, an Associate Professor of Law, Yangien Ornguga will trigger crisis.
Ornguga, a lecturer at Benue State University, Makurdi, is the younger brother of the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse.
Ayatse, a well-respected traditional ruler in the state is very close to the governor, Father Hyacinth Alia. And so he was given a slot for commissionership and he found his blood brother suitable for the position.
Unfortunately, the lawmakers, owing to the deluge of petitions against the nominee, found him unworthy of holding the office. This, no doubt may have infuriated the governor and the Tor Tiv and may have decided to move against the former Speaker, Dajoh.
Watch out, the rejected nominee may be presented to the House again. And if and when that happens, he may no longer be found wanting. We are watching!”
