Benue Speaker Redeploys Assembly Clerk, Sparks Legal Debate

The Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Alfred Aondonaaver Emberga, has authorized the transfer of John T. Hwande, the House Clerk, to the Benue State House of Assembly Service Commission.

In a letter dated August 26, 2025, Hwande was named substantive Secretary of the Commission, effective September 1, 2025.

The directive instructed Hwande to hand over his role to an acting clerk, who will be appointed by the House, by August 31, 2025.

In a related move, Mr. David Ochapa, Acting Secretary of the Assembly Service Commission, was recalled to the House for reassignment, also effective September 1.

Copies of the directive were sent to the State Auditor General, Chairman of the Assembly Service Commission, Permanent Secretary of Government House Administration, and the Accountant General for necessary action.

The Speaker’s decision has been framed as part of broader administrative reforms to strengthen the Assembly Service Commission’s operations.

However, the action has sparked legal debate.

Gurgur Japheth, a public affairs analyst, argued that the Speaker lacked the authority to reassign the Clerk:

“The Clerk of the State Assembly is appointed by the State Assembly Service Commission (SASC). The Speaker is not empowered to redeploy the Clerk. Such decisions must come from the Commission itself.”

Critics contend that without direct approval and communication from the State Assembly Service Commission, the move risks being procedurally flawed.

For now, the decision highlights a larger tension between legislative reforms and legal compliance, raising questions about how far Speakers can go in restructuring Assembly bureaucracy.