Edo Government Dares Senate On Takeover Of State Assembly

The Godwin Obaseki-led Edo State Government has dared the Nigerian Senate to go ahead with its threat to take over the State’s House of Assembly.

THE WHISTLER reported that the Senate had on Tuesday issued a one-week ultimatum to Obaseki to issue a proclamation for the inauguration of the Edo Assembly or risk a takeover of the state assembly by the National Assembly.

The Senate’s threat came against the backdrop of the crisis rocking the state assembly. The trouble had started after the governor inaugurated the assembly on June 17 with only nine of the 24 members of the House in attendance.

It was learnt that the 15 other members that were not in attendance have not been allowed access to legislative chamber since the inauguration of the House.

In a bid to mediate the crisis, the Senate asked Obaseki to issue a fresh proclamation for another inauguration of the House.

Reacting in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, the Edo Government however declined the Senate’s request, just as it noted that nowhere in Nigeria’s constitution is the Red Chamber allowed to take over a state assembly.

The statement reads: “The Edo state government watched with alarm today as the distinguished senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in a step that was not totally unexpected, purported to pass a resolution in the following terms: – Directing the Governor of Edo State to issue a fresh proclamation for the inauguration of the Edo state house of assembly, and ordering a fresh inauguration of the Edo state house of assembly within one (1) week from the date of the said resolution.

“As earlier mentioned, this move was not unexpected in the light of the enormous political pressure which had been brought to bear on the officers and members of the distinguished senate by the highly-placed and powerful persons who are intent on foisting their will and choices on the good people of Edo state.

“This is borne out by the recorded statements made by one Seid Oshiomhole (a member-elect and younger brother of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress Comrade Adams Oshiomhole) wherein he boasted that both the senate president, Senator Ahmed Lawan and the speaker of the house of representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila have been instructed on what to do in this matter.

“The government of Edo state wishes to observe that the chairman and members of ad-hoc committee of the senate which visited Edo state were made aware of the existence of at least three (3) suits pending before various courts wherein the factual and legal dispute regarding the Edo State House of Assembly inauguration have been submitted to the courts by both contending parties for resolution.

“It is unfortunate that the distinguished senate would act in flagrant breach of these various court orders and purport to come to factual and legal conclusions concerning a matter in which the parties are already before the courts and therefore sub judice.

“The Edo state government maintains that there is nowhere in the constitution particularly Section 11(4) which enables the national assembly to take over any house of assembly or in this respect, the Edo state house of assembly.”

Meanwhile, Obaseki and the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun, had previously suggested that the current Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, who is from the state, is allegedly behind the Edo Assembly crisis.

Oshiomhole, who was a governor of the state, was accused by Oyegun of working to undermine his predecessor’s government.