The seat of the Speaker in the Plateau State House of Assembly (PLHA) is a jinx that has a Two-Year Tenure.
All Speakers to the seat have always emerged in line with the political interest of the Executive Arm. Precisely, the Governor. It therefore means that, the struggle of the incumbent Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abok Nuhu Ayuba, to remain in office is never different.
The story of the House, right from the days of, Prof. Dakum Shun, to Simon Bako Lalong and Peter Azi, have not been different. They were always in political battle to save their positions after two years on the saddle.
However, the major difference in the current struggle for, Hon. Rt. Hon. Abok Nuhu Ayuba, the Speaker of the Assembly is that he is realizing the “REALITY”, too late.
He has constantly alleged to the hearing of many in the political circle that, nobody can remove him from office since he has the support and ears of the Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong.
He has also said, nobody can remove those he has appointed except he is no longer the Speaker of the Assembly.
Even when reports have it that, some of his appointee do not meet the requirements to be appointed into certain offices, he grilled at the reporters with threats.
He also did not feel it was necessary to check the overheads allocated to the offices of his appointee, as he has the backing of the State Government and that of the Governor, as the number Three (3) Man in the state.
Rt. Hon. Abok Nuhu Ayuba, is selective in giving or granting access to media practitioners to see him, both officially and privately.
It is in the reign of the incumbent Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abok Nuhu Ayuba that, Journalists are more restricted to the Plateau State House of Assembly, as several motions have been moved to gag the media practitioners or limit them in the press gallery.
It is therefore surprising that, he has his tail between his legs now that the political pressure to ease him out of his office has began allegedly.
Funnily, he has chosen to come out to tell his story alongside that of his colleagues, on Channels TV when he alleged that the House was under lock and key in a bid to remove him from office.
Although the Executive arm through the office of the Commissioner of Information and Communication has come out strongly to deny the allegations made by Hon. Abok, the fact that the Lawmakers are on recess speaks volume concerning his allegation.
Secondly, the members were nowhere near the House, as at yesterday. So, the presence of the protesters, at the House who were carrying already made and designed placards, calls for investigation as to the person(s) that may have mobilized them to the venue.
The issues therefore left for determination are whether the Governor is not right to remove him now, as he constantly speaks of?
Is it that, the Governor has now been able to investigate the operation of his office and the Speaker is only telling the world a half truth?
Can the Speaker at this time, tell the world that, this is the first attack and killings in Plateau State and that is why the House is reacting or that he has a personal interest.
Can he also allow the world determine, if his silence in the face of the attacks on his colleague, who alleged that, the Plateau state Governor was allegedly sleeping when they paid him a courtesy call over the killings and arson in Jebu Bassa in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, as a conspiracy against his colleague?
It is time the Speaker speaks and tells his story to the local media, who understand the environment where he operates first, before launching his grievances to the national and international level to curry sympathy.
It is no news reminding the Speaker of the praises showered on the Plateau State Governor by him, during Speakers Conference, which calls on him to explain what may have changed.
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