The Benue State House of Assembly on Sunday witnessed a major shake-up as Rt. Hon. Alfred Berger was unanimously elected Speaker in an emergency sitting of lawmakers.
Berger’s election came just hours after the unexpected resignation of his predecessor, Rt. Hon. Aondona, who stepped down amid mounting tensions with Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
Moments after the Assembly endorsed him, Berger was swiftly administered the oath of office, officially taking charge of the legislative arm at a time when Benue’s political atmosphere is deeply unsettled.
In his resignation letter read before colleagues, Aondona said he was leaving “in the overall interest of the State.” While he refrained from going into details, insiders point to his prolonged face-off with Governor Alia as the real trigger.
The feud, which has played out both in private and public, had strained relations between the executive and legislature, raising fears of legislative paralysis.
For Berger, the task ahead is enormous. Lawmakers and political watchers alike say his leadership will be defined by how effectively he can mend cracks within the Assembly and restore a working relationship with the executive.
Already, expectations are high that he will act as a stabilising force, especially as Benue grapples with security challenges, economic strain, and the urgent need for legislative-executive cooperation.
The power shift has set tongues wagging across the state, with some viewing Aondona’s exit as a sacrifice to save the Assembly from deeper crisis, while others see it as evidence of the governor’s tightening grip on political structures.
As Berger settles into his new role, the coming weeks will reveal whether the Assembly can reassert its independence or whether Sunday’s drama marks the beginning of a new political realignment in Benue.