Aondona Dajoh, the former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, was forcedly sacked and compelled to tender a resignation letter from his position following his rejection of the commissioner nominee, Prof. Yangien Ornguga, proposed by the state Governor, Hycinth Alia, and James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse (Tor Tiv) the supreme traditional ruler of the Tiv people of Nigeria.
The position for Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, the "Tor Tiv," serves as the symbol of unity for the Tiv Nation, is the President of the Tiv Area Traditional Council, and the Chairman of the Benue State Council of Chiefs.
This information was provided by Ismail Omipidan, a Lagos-based journalist and former spokesperson to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, on Sunday.
It has been reported that Dajoh's resignation occurred on Sunday afternoon, August 24th, 2025, after which Hon. Alfred Berger Ermberga, a member of the House who had previously been suspended, was sworn in as the new Speaker. Notably, Ermberga was among four members suspended from the House shortly before due to an alleged conspiracy to unseat Speaker Dajoh.
The political dynamics in Benue have intensified, culminating in a change in the leadership of the State Assembly without any official explanation. However, Omipidan, a native of Osun State who was born in Otukpo, Benue State, utilized his verified Facebook page on Sunday night to shed light on the situation, suggesting that Dajoh faced repercussions for asserting the independence of the state legislature.
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 commissioner week.
“But I knew the rejection of the younger brother of the Tor Tiv, an Associate Professor of Law, Yangien Ornguga, would trigger a 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 they 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!”
