New Edo Speaker orders House Clerk to retrieve predecessor’s official vehicles

The Edo State House on Tuesday resumed plenary, with the new Speaker presiding over legislative business 24 hours after the former Speaker, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, was impeached. Adjoto was sworn in on Monday following the dramatic removal of Okonoboh, who represents Igueben constituency, on allegations of gross misconduct. Also removed by 19 members who allegedly signed the impeachment notice were the Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie, and the Majority Leader, Mr. Foly Ogedengbe. At the resumption of plenary, Okonoboh, Ativie and Ogedengbe, who had described the development as illegal, were absent. However, 15 other members, including the new Deputy Speaker, Mr. Victor Edoror, and the new Majority Leader, Mr. Roland Asoro, were present in the legislative chamber when the House resumed at about 11am. Four other members later joined the session. Before adjourning sitting, the Speaker urged the clerk of the House to take steps to retrieve the official vehicles of the immediate past Speaker, his deputy and Majority Leader in order to enable their replacements to make use of them. “I want to urge the clerk of the House to take steps to implement to the letter the order given yesterday to retrieve all official vehicles in the possession of the former Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and the Majority Leader for the new officials to be able to take off effectively,” Adjoto added. While congratulating his colleagues on the new change of leadership, he also promised them a proactive dispensation under his speakership. Earlier, the House passed a resolution calling on the state government to intervene in the reported spillage of oil in several communities in the area. In a motion raised by the member representing Etsako East constituency, Mr. Kingsley Agabi, the lawmakers called on the state government to ensure that relevant agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, carry out a clean-up of the area. Agabi listed some of the affected communities to include Ikpehi, Uzanu and Egori. The Speaker, who described the situation as a serious one which deserved urgent attention, therefore, directed that copies of the resolution be made available to the office of the governor and other authorities concerned.]]>