Reps Order Shut Down Of Edo Assembly

As a result of the crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly, the House of Representatives has asked the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to shut down the assembly.

The green chambers also gave a one-week ultimatum to Governor Godwin Obaseki to issue a fresh proclamation for the assembly.

Members of the assembly arrived at the resolution today, Wednesday while adopting the report of an ad-hoc committee delegated to investigate the crisis at the assembly.

Recall that the lower chamber of the national assembly had earlier set up a 13-member ad-hoc committee to investigate the crisis in the legislature.

The house according to reports while adopting the recommendations presented by chairman of the committee, Abdulrazak Namdas, also directed that all actions taken by the current assembly in Edo should be declared null and void pending proper inauguration.

“All Members of the Edo State House of Assembly, both those who have been inaugurated and those who have not been inaugurated should dissolve their factions in the interest of peace and stability of the House with the view to moving the State forward.

“The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Director-General (DG), Department of State Service should shut down the Edo State House of Assembly and provide adequate security to allay further fears of intimidation and threat as alleged by Members-elect,” the recommendations read.

Reports further noted that the House agreed that where the above recommendations fail, the National Assembly shall invoke the Provisions of Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which empowers it to take over the State House of Assembly until the situation normalises.

Recall that the assembly has been enmeshed in controversies over the “inauguration” and the “election” of a new speaker for the house.

The development has raised the suspicion of a possible crack in the relationship between the Governor, Godwin Obaseki and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiohmole, who is also the immediate past governor of the state.