Teachers recruitment controversy: Benue Assembly Suspends SUBEB Chairman, Grace Adagba

The Benue State House of Assembly has suspended the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Grace Adagba, to facilitate an investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of primary school teachers.

The decision was made during Thursday’s plenary session in Makurdi, following a motion moved by Majority Whip Peter Ipusu and supported by the majority of lawmakers. Speaker Hyacinth Dajoh announced the resolution after 21 members voted in favor, while five opposed it.

In his ruling, the Speaker directed Dr. Adagba to hand over to the Permanent Member of the board to allow for an unhindered investigation. A seven-member committee was also constituted to investigate the recruitment process and report back within seven days.

Majority Whip Ipusu revealed that the assembly had previously directed SUBEB to suspend the ongoing recruitment exercise to address controversies surrounding the process. However, the directive was allegedly ignored.

A day after the resolution, Dr. Adagba reportedly issued a statement allocating new cut-off marks to local governments based on performance in the Computer-Based Test conducted by the board. The statement also announced additional shortlisting for physical screening.

The Majority Whip expressed concern that the chairman’s actions were reactionary and disrespectful to the authority of the assembly, undermining its resolutions.

While some lawmakers, including Alfred Berger, supported the suspension, citing a lack of integrity on the chairman’s part, others called for caution. Berger emphasized that the law establishing SUBEB granted powers to Local Government Education Authorities to recruit teachers, with SUBEB’s role limited to supervision.

Majority Leader Saater Tiseer opposed the suspension, arguing that the chairman should be given a fair hearing. He noted that Dr. Adagba was present at the assembly on the scheduled day to address the allegations. This counter-motion was seconded by Anthony Agom (PDP/Okpokwu), who stressed the importance of due process and constitutional adherence.

With the suspension in place, the seven-man investigative committee is expected to deliver its findings within a week. The controversy underscores ongoing tensions over governance and accountability in the management of education in Benue State.