From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
Benue Assembly has outrightly rejected Governor Hyacinth Alia’s nominee as a member of the State Independent Electoral, Commission, BSIEC over a derogatory Facebook post.
The nominee Mr. Vincent Gisaor nominated as Secretary of the Commission had made a post on his Facebook page insulting the entire Tiv nation.
The House took the decision during its plenary on Thursday.
Peoples Daily reports that when the nominee was ushered into the assembly chamber for screening, Mr. Cephas Dyako of Labor Party representing Konshisha State Constituency,pointed out that he had read a Facebook post by Gisaor which indicated that he is unfit to be a member of the state electoral body.
According to Dyako, “Mr Gisaor said in local palance ‘your nyash’ to all the Tiv people in his post which I find very derogatory coming from a person of his standing”.
The lawmaker pointed out that one of those who commented on the post even advised him to delete it and apologize but he adamantly refused to do so.
Other lawmakers unanimously supported Dyako, saying that the nominee was not fit to hold such public office and urged the house not to confirm his nomination.
When the nominee was asked to defend himself earlier, he explained that he met an elderly woman during a clash between Iharev and Iparev people of Tyo-mu in Makurdi Local Government and it was the woman who insulted the Tiv people while talking to him.
“I was merely quoting the woman but the recording I made of the woman’s reply to me when I asked what caused the fight unfortunately got deleted from the post”, Gisaor explained.
Ruling, the Speaker, Mr. Hyacinth Dajoh said the nominee never quoted anyone while making the post so it is assumed that it was his opinion.
Dajoh therefore, asked the governor to nominate another person in place of Gisaor.
