Edo Assembly: Senate Gives Obaseki One Week To Issue Fresh Proclamation

*Threatens to take over functions of Assembly
*It’s undue interference – Okorocha

The Senate has given the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki one week ultimatum, to issue a fresh proclamation for the inauguration of the Edo State House of Assembly, threatening to take over the functions of the Assembly if the governor failed to adhere to the directive.

The Senate took the decision following its consideration of the report of its Ad hoc Committee on Edo State Assembly crisis, chaired by the Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Aliyu Sabi (APC, Niger North).

This was, however, as the former governor of Imo State, who represents Imo West Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Rochas Okorocha, described the decision of the Senate as undue interference in the business of the Edo State government.

Meanwhile a sharp division arose among former governors who are now members of the Senate, over the resolution of the apex legislative Chamber on the crisis rocking the Edo Assembly.

While Senators Adamu Aliero and Sam Egwu, former governors of Kebbi and Ebonyi states respectively, strongly condemned Obaseki for not issuing proclamation properly as specified by law, Senator Okorocha indicted the Senate for demonstrating eagerness to hastily take over the affairs of the Edo Assembly.

Egwu and Aliero urged the Senate to go ahead and approve the recommendations of the Committee but Okorocha placed a serious caution on the dangers of the National Assembly meddling in the affairs of Edo politics.

He argued that the National Assembly should leave Edo APC and all the stakeholders to sort out their differences and resolve their internal political wrangling.

The Senate had actually got set for altercation, bickering and perhaps very rowdy session but the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan quickly intervened and used his prerogative of office to calm the situation by not allowing further contributions on the matter.

This really sparked off a lot of murmuring among the senators who were not allowed to openly contribute to the debate as the President of the Senate did not give room for the pending pandemonium to happen.

The Ad hoc Committee had recommended that Obaseki be given three weeks to comply with the Senate’s resolution or the National Assembly would take over the functions of the crisis-stricken Assembly.

However, the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi North) amended the recommendation, reducing the ultimatum to one week.