UPDATE: Reps Raise Adhoc Panel On Edo Assembly Crisis

The House of Representatives on Tuesday set up an adhoc committee to investigate the lingering crisis rocking the Edo state House of Assembly with a view to taking an informed decision.

This followed the consideration and adoption of a motion of urgent public importance brought by Hon Julius Ihonvbare, (APC, Edo), wherein he expressed the need for the House to intervene and take over the control of the state Assembly due to what he described as “total breakdown of law and order”.

The House speaker Femi Gbajabiamila while announcing the composition of the panel to be led by Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa) urged them to explore the possibility of also reconciling warring parties in the state legislature.

Hon. Ihonvbare had rendered an account of how the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, on June 17 hurriedly inaugurated the House with just 9 members out of 24 at about 10: pm without duly notifying other lawmakers to elect via an executive proclamation as provided for by the constitution.

He also prayed the House to as a matter of urgent national importance take over the affairs of the state Assembly in order to protect democracy in the state and defend the Constitution.

Members debating the motion were unanimous in their condemnation of the act whilst asking that the House investigate the matter to ascertain the veracity of claims that the governor actually wrote to individual members if the state Assembly notifying them if the inauguration.

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila who presided over the plenary also asked the 13-man panel to while investigating constitutional violations on the part of the governor also explore the possibility of reconciling warring parties.

Meanwhile, aggrieved members of the Edo state House of Assembly loyal to the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomole were at the National Assembly to witness proceedings of the House regarding their matter on Tuesday.

The Lawmakers numbering 14 out of the 24-member House of Assembly stormed the House of Representatives chamber as early as 10:30 am to impress it on the House to condemn and take over the affairs of the state Assembly.

Daily Independent learned that the Deputy Governor, Hon. Philip Shuaibu who’s known to be Adams Oshiomole’s man is however allegedly on the side of Gov. Obaseki.

Recall that Shuaibu, a former member of the House of Representatives in the 8th Assembly was pulled out by Oshiomole and made deputy governor to Godwin Obaseki.

Shuaibu’s choice as deputy governor was met with resistance from other zones in the state, given that he comes from Edo North just like Adams Oshiomole who was leaving government house after being at the helms for 8 years.

But on the current face-off between his godfather, Oshiomole and governor Obaseki, Shuaibu is said to have taken sides with Obaseki in order to protect his position.

One of the aggrieved members who spoke to Independent on the condition of anonymity said the Deputy Governor was in the National Assembly to ask the leadership to support “the illegality that was perpetrated in June”.

“People may think he’s here for us but that’s far from the truth because he’s her t defend the action of his government that inaugurating a House of 24 members with just 10 members.

“Originally, we were 9 but they adopted 5 for the inauguration to give their action some semblance of legitimacy. But after those ones couldn’t get what they were promised, they have now found it difficult to come back to our folds”, the lawmaker said.

Asked as to why Shuaibu would work against his godfather, another lawmaker said: “he simply wants to preserve his position, having known that the governor can remove him with a snap of his finger”.

“Given his zonal affinity with the immediate past governor and national chairman of our great party, Shauibu shouldn’t have emerged as deputy governor, but the comrade governor then used his position to campaign and canvass support for his candidacy.
“But he’s now biting the finger that fed him by working with the governor to fight the leader”, the aggrieved member said.