Plateau Assembly Crisis Deepens, As Forgery, Blackmail Become Desirable Tools
The leadership crisis rocking the Plateau State House of Assembly has taken another twist as the new Speaker, Yakubu Sanda at the plenary yesterday, read the resignation letter of the embattled Speaker Nuhu Abok Ayuba on the floor of the House, even as the latter declared that the resignation letter was forged.
At the sitting of the House yesterday, Sandra tabled a letter of resignation from Abok before the House, and after a brief deliberation, the letter was passed to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
The resignation letter dated November 1, 2021, addressed to the Speaker and signed by Nuhu Abok Ayuba made available to The Nation read thus: “Please, accept this letter as a formal notice of resignation as the Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly.
“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve in this capacity as the Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly. It has given me so much opportunities, love by the people of Plateau State and to add to the development of this state. Thank you, once again, my member colleagues. I appreciate your kind love and protection.”
In a swift reaction, the embattled Speaker, Abok, who denied his recognition, said the letter was forged out of desperation to give legal backing to his illegal removal as the Speaker of the House
He said: “It is forged; they have been asking me to do that but I will never resign because I was not removed in the first place. If I would tender my resignation, I will do it publicly. The question is who did I address the letter to? It is a clear case of mischief. We would address it at the appropriate time, I never resigned.”
Corroborating the Speaker’s argument, Sohchang Zingtrim, however, dismissed it as rumour, stating that, the other faction is confused. Can’t they distinguish between removal and resignation? Which one are they talking about? Which of them did not pass through due process?” he queried.
A member of the House Timothy Dantong alleged that the House was vandalised to enable Sanda and the members loyal to him to relocate the sitting of the House to Government House.
