FOLLOWING protracted crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly, 15 lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 24-member state House of Assembly, on Wednesday, held their plenary sitting in the Edo State Government House, Benin City and impeached the deputy speaker of the assembly, Honourable Festus Ebea.
The APC lawmakers, unlike their eight Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) colleagues, who were declined entrance into the assembly chambers on Monday, did not show up at the assembly on Wednesday, but headed straight to the old Executive Chamber in the Government House, where they held plenary.
The motion for the lawmakers to relocate to Edo State Government House was occasioned by a motion of urgent public importance moved by Honourable Philip Shaibu, the majority leader of the assembly.
Shaibu, who contended that the assembly was relocating temporarily to Government House for legislating business, noted that there was ongoing renovation at the assembly complex.
He said the facilities at the complex were vandalised by the former deputy speaker and seven other lawmakers.
The majority leader noted that the renovation exercise would hinder the lawmakers from carrying out their constitutional responsibilities.
The legislators, at the session, impeached the suspended deputy speaker of the house, Honourable Ebea and elected Honourable Victor Edoror as the new deputy speaker.
The impeachment was sequel to a motion that was moved by the chief whip of the assembly, Honourable Foly Ogedengbe and seconded by Honourable Patrick Asowerien.
Honourable Bamidele Oloruntoba moved the motion for the election of Honourable Edoror as deputy speaker while Honourable Sunday Osazemwinde seconded it.
Reacting to the development, the minority whip of the assembly, Honourable Kingsley Ehigiamusoe, said “under the Assembly Rule Section 77, it is quite explicit the way and manner the speaker and the deputy speaker can be removed and under that rule, a petition must be signed by two-third majority of the members, stating details of the allegations against the office holders.
“They are only 15 members and the speaker cannot vote. For them to remove the deputy speaker, they must be 16. That was not done; no petition was written against the deputy speaker and their sitting in Government House is null and void, as there was no resolution that the plenary session of the assembly should be moved to Government House.”
Also reacting, Honourable Emma Okoduwa said the action of the APC lawmakers negated the constitutional provision that had to do with the impeachment of a deputy speaker.
PDP lawmakers ask Oshiomhole to swear with Ogun
A new twist was, on Wednesday, introduced to the crisis rocking the Edo assembly as lawmakers of PDP challenged their colleagues in APC and Governor Adams Oshiomhole to join them at the palace of the Oba of Benin to swear over allegations that they received bribe to impeach the governor and the assembly speaker.
At a press briefing in Benin on Wednesday, the eight PDP lawmakers accused the state government of blackmail, by inciting the youths and market women against them.
Honourable Patrick Osayimwen, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said it was unfortunate that the governor resorted to the current tactics, after he invited him and Honourable Jude Ise-Idehen to his office on May 10 and offered them millions of naira not to opt out of the APC merger but they declined.
Osayimwen, who took time to explain the genesis of the crisis, said “I did not collect 50, 30 or 10 million naira or a kobo from President Goodluck Jonathan or anybody as alleged by the governor to join the PDP.
“As a proud Benin man who received inspiration passed on by my late father, I want to appeal to his Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin, the Esogban of Benin Kingdom and all top palace chiefs to give me and the governor an opportunity to come to the palace of our paramount leader to swear before Ogun to validate the truth.
“I am prepared to swear before the gods of our land that if I collected a kobo from PDP as an incentive to join the PDP, let the gods of our land destroy me and my offsprings, but the Oba of Benin should continue to bless and pray for me and my offspring if I am innocent.”
Source: Tribune
