…as Gov vows to deal with those who test will of the State
The political crisis plaguing Edo State deepened Thursday as two factions of the House of Assembly emerged with their Speakers, with each laying claim to the leadership of the legislature.
The factions have their allegiances to the two prominent gladiators in the political war going on in the state. One faction, with 17 members, is said to be loyal to former Governor and immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Conngress, Adams Oshiomhole; the other, with minority members, is behind current governor and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Godwin Obaseki.
But governor Obaseki has vowed to deal with those who want to test the will of the government, and to ensure protection of the rule of law.
Oshiomhole is not a candidate in the election but he has a national assignment from the APC to ensure that Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the party’s candidate, wins come September 19, 2020.
The Oshiomhole faction went on a revenge mission Thursday by impeaching the Speaker Frank Okiye, and in his place elected Victor Edoror. Emmanuel Agbaje was elected Deputy Speaker. Their election was said to have been done at an emergency session of the House, which took place at an undisclosed location in the State capital.
That was in response to the impeachment on Wednesday of Mr Yekini Idiaye, Deputy Speaker, by seven members of the House who are said to be Obaseki’s loyalists.
Tension rose on Thursday morning, as the Assembly Complex in Benin City was besieged by security personnel. As the crisis worsened, the roofs of the Assembly were removed by youth, while the gate to the Complex was blocked with granite.
As this development continued, Obaseki’s team raised the alarm over an alleged plot to deploy special forces by the Nigeria Police to take over the Assembly.
Obaseki, who was campaigning in Edo North, had to rush back to Benin City, to meet hundreds of his supporters who had besieged the Assembly Complex in solidarity with him.
Meanwhile, Obaseki, has described the failed invasion of the state House of Assembly Complex as an attempted coup d’état that is tantamount to treason and contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
Speaking in a statewide broadcast on Friday, the governor assured that his administration would take all steps necessary to defend the rule of law and democratic ideals.
“Any person or group of persons who set out to test our will in this regard will meet with the full wrath of the law,” the governor warned.
He noted: “These events portend grave danger to the safety and security of our polity. It had all the hallmarks of an attempted coup d’état.
“The people of Edo State rose as one to prevent the desecration of our democracy. It is however worrisome that certain persons are willing to plunge the society into avoidable anarchy and conflict just to satisfy their illegitimate objectives.”
According to the Governor, “the crisis in the Edo State legislature dates back to June 17th, 2019, when upon my proclamation of the 7th Edo State House of Assembly, some members-elect refused to present themselves for inauguration.
“The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in a judgement delivered on the 12th of September, 2019, decided that my proclamation of the House of Assembly was lawful and that the National Assembly could not take over the function of the Edo State House of Assembly as the conditions for doing so did not exist.
“The court judgement affirmed that the Assembly was duly inaugurated and held that the Governor or any other person could not issue another proclamation.”
He explained that “Even after this judgement, the 14 members-elect stayed away from the House and refused to be inaugurated to perform their elected role of representing their constituencies. Having failed to sit for over 180 sitting days, the leadership of the House of Assembly had no option but to declare their seats vacant and requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections to fill the vacancies that had then been created.
“Following this action by the leadership of the House, the 14 members-elect approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, to challenge the constitutionality or otherwise of the declaration of their seats vacant. This suit is still pending in the court.”
Obaseki noted that “This unfortunate situation has festered because a former governor of the state is bent on throwing the state into crisis ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections.”
“I want to salute the resolve of all well-meaning Edo people in standing up to thwart the evil plans of these undemocratic elements who are bent on perpetrating an illegal assault on our democracy by the purported inauguration in a private residence.
“These events portend grave danger to the safety and security of our polity. It had all the hallmarks of an attempted coup d’état. The people of Edo State rose as one to prevent the desecration of our democracy. It is however worrisome that certain persons are willing to plunge the society into avoidable anarchy and conflict just to satisfy their illegitimate objectives.
“These acts are tantamount to treason, contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
“Be assured, dear people of Edo State, that this government will take all steps necessary to defend the rule of law and democratic ideals. Any person or group of persons who set out to test our will in this regard will meet with the full wrath of the law,” he said.
The crisis is not likely to end soon, going by statements from the opposing camps. Upon his election late Thursday, the factional Speaker of the House, Edoror, was said to have paid a visit to the Commissioner of Police in the State Mr John Kokumo , and directed him and the Inspector-General of Police, and other security agencies to eject the thugs who had invaded the Assembly complex. This, he said, was to make way for a hitch-free plenary on Friday, August 7.
But Okiye has dismissed reports of his purported impeachment.
It’s Blames all the Way
Okiye, had on Wednesday, alleged that Hope Uzodinma, the governor of Imo State who is leader of APC’s election team in Edo, along with some members of Edo the APC, had perfected plans to use a fake Mace in the Assembly.
Meanwhile, the both the APC and PDP are accusing each other of being responsible for the crisis. A
APC Chairman of state its Media Campaign Council, Mr John Mayaki, in a statement said the state government had taken several actions against the legislature by denying its members-elect from carrying out their functions.
“It is a known fact that Governor Obaseki has treated the House of Assembly, an independent and co-equal branch of government, as a mere extension of his office through the brutalisation of members-elect and the denial of representation to the majority of members.
“In a Gestapo style, the outgoing governor hijacked a tiny minority and purportedly inaugurated them in the dead of the night. The sham inauguration was condemned and set aside by both arms of the National Assembly after their separate investigations revealed that the members, and indeed the Clerk, were forced to participate in the illegality under threat to life.
“With these criminal antecedents, we believe if there is any unwholesome activity ongoing at the Assembly complex, it is Mr Godwin Obaseki who is in the best position to explain to the world what is going on and why. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, or the APC, does not control the Police,” he said.
The PDP, on its part, holds Oshiomhole responsible for the degenerating crisis.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement titled ‘.Stop invasion of Edo Assembly now on Thursday, called on the Police authorities to plan to take over the House of Assembly.
According to him PDP” posits that the invasion and illegal occupation of the state legislature by security agents allegedly deployed by sacked national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, is a direct coup against the democratic order of Edo State and a recipe for anarchy, chaos and bloodletting.
“We urge the Inspector-General to act with dispatch to curb this nefarious situation, which has heightened tension in the state, and if not halted, may result in a bloody clash as the citizens are already charged to defend their symbol of democracy from a forceful takeover.
“The police hierarchy is urged to note that this provocative and lawless act by the APC is part of its plans to overheat the polity and create a security situation with the view to unleash violence on the people, derail the democratic order in the state and blame it on security agencies.”
