The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin Edo state capital today ordered the Speaker of the state house of Assembly, Mr. Victor Edoror and clerk of the house, Barrister Lawson Ugiagbe to appear before it on Thursday for deliberately disobeying its order to swear in Mr. Sylvanus Eruaga as member representing Etsako West constituency 11.
Justice Olukayode Bada who issued the order today asked the state solicitor General of the state, Mr. Oluwole Iyamu to produce Mr. Edoror and Barr. Ugiagbe personally in court for them to show cause why they should not be committed to prison.
justice Bada noted that Edoror and Ugiagbe through their counsel rebuffed attempts by counsel to the PDP candidate, Barr. Dele Igbinedion to resolve the dispute arising from the court’s issuance of forms 48 and 49 at which the appellate had on March 21 this year ordered the parties settle outside the court.
Both the speaker and the clerk are facing contempt charges before the court after counsel to the PDP obtained forms 48 and 49 respectively for refusing to swear in Mr. Eruaga as member of the house of assembly.
The delayed swearing in of Mr. Eruaga of the PDP has been a subject of controversy between forces loyal to the opposition party and the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state.
According to Justice Bada, the speaker and clerk should appear before the honourable court to show cause why they should not be committed to prison for neglect and disobedience of order of the court.
He observed with dismay that Eruaga’s lawyer (Dele Igbinedion) had made attempts to discuss through counsel to the respondents but they rebuffed him in the process.
Mr. Ken Mozia (SAN) is the counsel representing the APC and the state chairman of the party (Anslem Ojezua), Mr. Matthew Ugwuocha represents INEC while the Solicitor General of Edo state Mr. Oluwole represents the speaker and the clerk in the suit
The Edo House of Assembly on Thursday passed the 2016 budget estimates of N116.6 billion.
Governor Oshiomhole
Governor Adams Oshiomhole had on December 14, 2015 presented a budget size of N111.5 billion to the house for consideration and passage.
The budget as presented by the governor consists of N58.9billion as capital expenditures while the proposed recurrent expenditures stood at N52.6 billion
The house shored up the appropriation bill with about N5 billion.
Considering the bill clause-by-clause, the Chairman, Appropriation and Project Monitoring, Hon Damian Lawani (APC Etsako Central), said the budget reflected the views of the people and was designed to complete all ongoing projects.
During the consideration of the bill, N59.5 billion was allocated for capital expenditures, while N57.2 billion was allocated for re-current expenditures.
The breakdown of the bill showed that N15.6 billion, N300million, N2 billion and N17.8 billion were allocated for the recurrent expenditures of the administrative, economic sectors, law and justice and social sectors respectively.
Also N1.7billion, N22.3 billion, N 208m, N35.2billion were allocated for the capital expenditures for the administrative, economic sectors, law and justice and social sectors respectively.
The house after consideration of the document with amendment passed the bill.
The Speaker, Victor Edoror, directed that clean copies of the bill be sent to the governor for his approval.
The Edo State House of Assembly on Wednesday approved the extension of the suspension of four council chairmen for another two months.
Edo State Tribunal
The four council chairmen – Osaro Obazee (Oredo) Victor Enobakhare (Egor) Roland Ibierutomwen (Orhiomwon) and Emmanuel Momoh (Estako Central) were suspended from office in June.
Reasons given by Governor Adams Oshiomhole for their suspension included non-payment of salaries without proper explanation, illegal employment, diversion of funds, lack of due process in the award of contracts and violation of due processes.
The extension approval by the lawmakers was sequel to a letter sent to them by Governor Oshiomhole who said investigations into the allegations were yet to be concluded.
The Majority Leader of the House, Folly Ogedengbe, said the request by the governor was in line with the local government laws as amended.
The lawmakers later adopted a resolution approving the extension of the council chiefs’ suspension.
Speaker of the House, Victor Edoror, said the extension would enable investigation into the allegations against the suspended council bosses be concluded.
Three serving lawmakers were among other aspirants who failed to clinch the Peoples Democratic Party ticket for next year’s state house of assembly election, during the party’s primaries held last Saturday in 24 constituencies across the Edo State.
Hon. Rasak Momoh
In Esan North-East II, the lawmaker representing constituency, Emma Okoduwa, scored 16 votes but lost to Igban Ezehi’s 20 votes.
The member representing Igueben constituency, Kingsley Ehigiamusor, lost to Mr. Odiana Iriata, while Mr. Razak Momoh, who represents Etsako West I, lost to Mr. Abubakar Dada.
However, the PDP factional speaker, Mr. Festus Ebea and two other members, Mr. Patrick Iluobe and Monday Ehighalu, secured the party’s tickets unopposed for Esan South-East, Esan North-East I and Esan West, respectively.
In Orhionmwon I, incumbent legislator, Mr. Friday Ogieriakhi, defeated Osahon Ahumwan and Austin Osawaru to pick the party’s ticket, while Mr. Nosa Adams, who is facing trial for alleged attempted murder during the party’s ward congress, scored 28 votes to defeated Melody Ekunwe, who got 26 votes, to fly the party’s flag for Egor constituency.
Dr. Sylvanus Eruaga clinched the ticket for Etsako West II, while Tijani Abubakar defeated three others to win the nomination of his party in Etsako Central constituency.
In Akoko Edo constituency I, Pastor Johnson Momoh defeated Ernest Akpaja, Henry Ekundayo, Segun Bello and Emmanuel Agbaje
to secure the ticket, while Bisi Idaomi pulled 12 votes to defeat Don Umoru, who scored 10, and Kamarudeen Coker for Akoko Edo constituency II.
Uyi Ogbemudia, daughter of former two-time governor of the defunct Mid-West State, General Sam Ogbemudia
(retd), defeated other contenders to the pick the PDP ticket for Oredo West, while in Oredo East constituency, Lion Okoro emerged winner of the primary.
Others who secured the party’s ticket are Blessing Agbebaku(Owan West), John Amona (Owan East), Nicholas Asomsere (Ikpoba Okha), Levis Aigbogun (Ovia North-East I) and Andrew Uzamere (Ovia North-East II).
The results for Esan Central, Etsako East, Ovia South- West and Uhunmwode and were unavailable at the time of filling the report.
However, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, who was seen monitoring the primary for Oredo West and East, described the exercise as peaceful.
Adebanjo told our correspondent that men of the state command were deployed in various constituencies to forestall any breach of peace and provide adequate security for the delegates.
BENIN— A Benin High Court was, yesterday, told by a prosecution witness, Mr. Okharedia Ihimekpen, that the Majority Leader of Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Philip Shaibu, never graduated from the University of Jos, UNIJOS, saying he was expelled from the university.
Similarly, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zaknote Ventures Nig. Ltd., Mr. Zakari Ayonote, told the court that Mr. Shaibu was never his staff or an employee of the company.
The Majority Leader is being charged by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, for criminal falsification of his tax clearance certificate, falsification of University of Jos certificate and the claim that he worked for Zaknote Ventures Nigeria Ltd.
Giving evidence before the court presided over by Justice Esther Edigin, Ihimepken, a journalist, who said he was the one that petitioned ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said during investigation, he found out that Shaibu did not graduate from UNIJOS as he allegedly claimed, and that he falsified his tax clearance documents to Edo State Board of Internal Revenue.
He added that Philip Shaibu, as his investigation revealed, was never a staff of Zaknote from 2003 to 2006, as he claimed.
Zakari Ayonote, who was the second prosecution witness, told the court that the accused person was never a staff of his company of which he is the Managing Director/CEO.
He added that he only loaned some money to him to enable him contest the Presidency of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, when he was introduced to him by a former member of Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Luqman Muhammed.
He denied ever giving the accused any document to obtain tax clearance from Edo State Board of Internal Revenue.
Under cross-examination by Mr. Ken Mozia (SAN), counsel to Mr. Shaibu told the court that most of the staff in his company were casual workers and were paid in cash.
He also denied ever applying for tax clearance for any of his staff, saying none had ever requested him to do so.
He also claimed that he gave letters of employment and Identity cards to then.
Meanwhile, prosecuting counsel to ICPC, Mr. Igbadumhe, informed the court that some of his witnesses were being threatened, adding that he was advised by the court to apply for summons to be served on witnesses, who were unwilling to appear voluntarily.
The case has been adjourned to today for continuation.
It was a reign of terror Saturday morning as thugs loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party invaded the Edo State House of Assembly Legislator’s Quarters and smashed 36 cars belonging to members of the All Progressives Congress in the Quarters.
The thugs also shot at doors and windows of seven chalets inhabited by APC lawmakers and by the time they ended their operation, property worth several millions of naira had been destroyed.
One of the cars destroyed by the thugs
According to eyewitnesses, the invaders started converging on the George Idah Primary School from 6:30am from where they launched the attack. They tied up the security man at the gate and met no further resistance after gaining entrance as the policemen attached to the lawmakers were said to have been withdrawn earlier in the week on orders from above.
Some of the APC lawmakers sustained injuries as they fled the rampaging marauders.
Governor Adams Eric Oshiomhole who was conducted round the Legislators’ Quarters by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Uyi Igbe expressed shock at the level of destruction in the quarters.
Addressing newsmen after the inspection, Governor Oshiomhole said, “the PDP leaders had a meeting where it was decided that thugs should be recruited using one Idehen to come and perpetrate this attack.
He said, “It is very clear that the Police granted permission for this attack. The Commissioner of Police was informed at about 10:00pm last night of the plan of the PDP to attack the Legislative quarters and the APC office.
“We made this intelligence available to the Commissioner of Police and you can see that even the minimal police presence here was evacuated so that these thugs can come and have a free reign of terror. This morning, when they assembled at a point they were meant to assemble, the fact was conveyed to the Commissioner of Police.
“They actually assembled at George Idah Primary School this morning before they proceeded and the Police provided supervision for this very serious criminal act. It is very clear that the police command granted permission to PDP to carry out this heinous crime.
He said, “I think for all Nigerians, at a time when we are confronted by insurgency and other forms of violent crime, one will expect that any functionary of the other party will share the concern of the President on peace and security. You can see some of the PDP Leaders in Edo State having lost out and rejected by the people believe that they can create a situation that will make Edo State ungovernable and create complete distraction in their futile calculation that they can remove themselves from power.
“This is a very dangerous thing. I am not so much worried about the violent character of the PDP, I am more worried by what seems to be the police readiness to provide them with cover.
The Governor who also spoke on the attack on a former member of the State House of Assembly, Mr Rasaq Momoh said, “You will recall that during the Local Government Election, Razak Momoh was arrested by the police with two guns; a pistol and a double barrel gun. As of that time during that Local Government election, he was still a member of ACN.
“When he was arrested and the facts were brought to my attention, I asked the police to ensure that he was prosecuted according to law. He was remanded by court in prison for 4 months before he was granted bail and as we speak that matter is pending at the High Court”
Oshiomhole said “about six months before the election, Razak was shot by his own fellow criminals and he was taken to the hospital” adding that he encouraged Rasak Momoh to disclose who shot him and he claimed he didn’t know.
Oshiomhole said, “This is someone who has a history of violence. History of carrying guns and attacking people with guns and I have insisted and I still do that everyone who has committed crime must be prosecuted according to the law of the land.
“The fact that he is a Lawmaker makes it imperative for him to be seen to obey the law and the police told me then that when he was arrested he asked the police, do you know who he is? That he is a member of the House of Assembly and the police had to remind him that he doesn’t have immunity
Oshiomhole said, “My warning to PDP is that power is very transient. Today you are in power, tomorrow you are out of power. Any crime you have committed that the present political order covers you, when the order changes, you will report to justice.
“Yesterday (Friday) at the Airport, the President came and in line with my conviction that he is the President of Nigeria and not of a particular party, I went to receive him. When he was here two weeks ago to address a rally, I went to the airport to receive him. For me that is the idea of politics. It is not war. It should not be so primitive
“Yesterday (Friday) again, I went to the airport to receive the President for the ground breaking ceremony of a private sector investment which we jointly midwifed with over $800 million. This same Pastor Ize-Iyamu organised rascals and they were abusing themselves.
“The whole idea of their plan was to create a scene at the airport because they have no responsibilities and I have responsibility. If there was any fracas at the airport it would seem as if the Governor of Edo State was not able to receive the President.
“Because they didn’t get a response, they descended on APC Chairman, and they attacked him, attacked the Chief of Staff and the Secretary to the Government. I advised them to leave them as two wrongs do not make a right.”
He said, “The activities of the rascals cannot distract us from governance, it will not lead us to resorting to their primitive practice and we will document all these facts and draw the attention of the President and I will like to see how the President responds to them.”
Thirty-six (36) cars and seven houses were vandalised as thugs loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attacked the Edo State House of Assembly Legislators’ Quarters where they shot sporadically for several hours without restraint. Attached are Photos of the attack.
Contrary to the report, a member of the legislative house, Hon. Ise Idehen who spoke with Naija Center News on phone, said he does not live in the quarter, and also revealed that he wasn’t there but was informed of what happened. He stated that the thugs that came were the same thugs that attacked Hon. Momoh who is presently receiving treatment in the hospital.
He said they came back due to Hon. Shaibu’s refusal to pay them sequel to the attack on Momoh.
Several attempts to reach Hon. Uyi Igbe for comment proved abortive as he did not answer his phone.
Edo PDP Condemns Attack on Hon. Razaq Momoh, rising political intolerance by the Adams Oshiomhole administration
The Edo State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is gravely worried by the deteriorating security situation in the state occasioned by the heightening political intolerance by the Governor Adams Oshiomhole All Progressives Congress (APC) -led government to opposing political views.
Hon. Momoh
PDP is alarmed by the Tuesday night attack by loyalists of Governor Oshiomhole of an elected member of the state Assembly, Hon. Razaq Momoh. Apparently, Hon. Momoh’s sin is that he dumped Oshiomhole’s APC for the PDP.
According to eyewitnesses, APC thugs led by Hon. Phillip Shuaib, Governor Oshiomhole’s leg man in the State House of Assembly, stormed Hon. Momoh’s official residence at Legislators’ quarters, Ihama Road, Benin, with dangerous weapons which they unleashed on the lawmaker.
“We strongly condemn this bestial attack which is a reflection of the growing desperation of the Oshiomhole APC-led administration in the face of its fast dwindling political support.
“In a democracy, the right to freedom of association is sacred and must be respected by all.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police to bring to book all those involved in the dastardly act of the near-assasination of Hon. Razak Momoh.
Edo PDP said it sympathized with the Hon. Momoh and his family on the very unfortunate attack. We appeal to our members to remain calm and be law-abiding in the face of the unwarranted attacks by goons of the APC, while we await official police action on the matter.
The party also call Governor Adams Oshiomhole to rise above party lines and become governor of all. We advise him to stop all manner of incivility and persecution of persons who do not subscribe to his political ideology and actions.
PDP said it recall how Governor Oshiomhole stoked the division in the state Assembly by relocating APC lawmakers to a section of his office in Government House, Benin. We also note with disappointment, how Governor Oshiomhole recently presented his 2015 Appropriation Bill to APC lawmakers in a section of his office.
We believe that Governor Oshiomhole’s acts of commission and omission is aiding and abetting members to subscribe to impunity.
We fervently pray for the speedy recovery of Hon. Razaq Momoh, and pray that this be the last of the barbaric attacks by APC goons.
The crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly continued on Monday as the two factions of 15 All Progressives Congress and nine Peoples Democratic Party lawmakers in the state legislature resumed separate plenaries after a recess that lasted for over a month.
The 14 APC lawmakers, led by the Speaker Uyi Igbe, who resumed sitting at the old legislative chambers in the Government House, adopted a business calendar for the fourth session, second quarter of the fifth Assembly.
The business calendar, which was proposed by the Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu during plenary and adopted by the house, is expected to run for 75 days.
Shaibu said the calendar which began on September 8, is expected to terminate on December 19, 2014.
He said upon implementation, the calendar shall have 17, 23, 20 and 19 days for the months of September, October, November and December.
He said, “If we add the 75 days to the 36 days calendar for the first quarter, it would amount to 111days of legislative activities for the first two quarters.”
Earlier, the Speaker, while welcoming the members back to the assembly, congratulated the chairmen and members of the house committees on Rules, Business and Government House, Transport, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Judiciary and Energy for the commendations received from the House of Representatives for outstanding performance.
Igbe, however, directed that clean copies of the resolution be sent to the governor for his approval.
Meanwhile, at the PDP sitting, held at the Anthony Enahoro Assembly Complex, the “Speaker” of the faction, Festus Ebea, welcomed the legislators to the new quartre and commended them for not shifting position in the interest of democracy and the state.
The “Speaker” urged the members to ensure that legislative duties were executed without fear.
He charged the PDP lawmakers to be prepared to face the challenge ahead and sustain with a view to passing relevant resolution.
The house Leader, Pharm. Emma Okoduwa, representing Esan North-East, later presented the business calendar for the second quartre (fourth session) of the Fifth Assembly.
According to the calendar, the house is expected to sit for 77 – days 17 days in September, 22 days in October, 20 days in November and 18 days in December,while sitting was also adjourned to Tuesday.
Earlier at the weekend, Ebea officially announced his change of membership from the APC at a rally in Ubiaja, the headquarters of Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo state.
It was gathered that the former Deputy Speaker explained that his decision was informed by the fact that the APC had lost direction from the ideals of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, on which he contested and won the state assembly seat in 2011.
He stated that the PDP had demonstrated at the national level that Nigeria could be transformed with credible and people-oriented leadership.
LAGOS—Suspended Deputy Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Festus Ebea, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, did not offer any of the members that defected to PDP from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, money to defect.
He added that he was ready to go to the Oba of Benin shrine to swear that they were not offered money to dump the APC.
Ebea, who spoke with Aviation reporters at the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, said it was the state governor, Adams Oshiomole, who offered him money not to defect to PDP, adding that the current crisis rocking the Edo Assembly was due to the high handedness of the APC leadership in the state.
Edo State Assembly has been unable to sit as a full House since June when thugs evaded the premises and members engaged in a free-for-all.
Two factions of the House have emerged with 15 APC members belonging to one faction, while the other nine members, who are now PDP members in another.
Ebea, who is the leader of the PDP said “We are challenging him,(Oshiomole), let’s go to the Oba’s palace. I am a Christian, a communicant. I now said God because we are Africans, let me get to the level that people will really say, he is trying to prove his innocence. Let’s go to the Oba shrine and swear on who collected money. You heard that I collected N50 million from PDP or N75 million.
“I will swear that if PDP ever offered me money, I will swear even with my family, then Governor Oshiomhole too will swear if PDP actually gave me money and after that I will equally asked him to swear if he offered me money or not, because I was offered money by APC and I refused. Yes, Oshiomhole shared money to the so-called APC members. He offered them money and they know it.”
He accused the governor of high handedness and betraying APC’s founding members in the state.
“Before, people used to say Oshiomhole is the man of the people but he automatically changed. When they shout President Goodluck Jonathan is ruling with impunity or that ‘they stopped my plane,’ don’t listen to them. Governor Oshiomhole is the greatest peddler of impunity.”
The Chairman of Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State, Morrison Okhuarobo, was on Wednesday walked out of the state House of Assembly by lawmakers for improper dressing.
Morrison was at the lawmakers’ sitting to present account of his stewardship since he was sworn-in as council chairman.
He wore a fez cap and a combat khaki trousers and shirt on which the words: “Proudly Oshio Picki” were inscribed.
Morrison was about to begin his presentation when Hon. Johnson Oghuma drew the lawmakers attention to the council boss dressing.
Oghuma said, “The governor is well respected across the world. He does not come here dressing in khaki. The governor respects this House and dress properly when coming here. He should go and dress properly.”
“This dressing amount to disregard and misconduct. He must tender unreserved apology.”
Other lawmakers insisted that Morrison should leave the chamber despite pleas by Speaker Uyi Igbe to allow him present the report.
Okhuarobo left and return after one hour, dressing in suit.
He apologized to the lawmakers for his dress code.
BENIN—THE nine Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers in Edo State House of Assembly, yesterday, said they will hold plenary at the Chief Anthony Enahoro Assembly, tomorrow, insisting that they have already appealed to the Supreme Court against the ruling of the Court of Appeal which barred them from sitting.
Factional Speaker of the Assembly, Chief Festus Ebea, said: “We have been following due process and we have regard for the rule of law. Our suspension has a time lapse and it has since lapsed after 14 days because there was sitting on June 10, 2014 which was the following day.
“The Police all over the world have the constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property, so I cannot speak for them.”
Ebea, who addressed newsmen in Benin yesterday, added that “the PDP lawmakers have filed an appeal at the Supreme Court and sought a stay of execution of the lower court’s order and until it is disposed of, our obeying the order should not be an issue.”
Quoting a Supreme Court judgment, he noted that the apex court had held when there was a pending appeal against a court ruling or order, those concerned cannot be forced to obey such order.
Commenting on the Federal High Court ruling last week, he said that the court did not bar them from sitting, noting that what it did was to strike out the prayer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers which sought to restrain them from further purporting to carry out their legislative functions.
BENIN—THE Appeal Court sitting in Benin, Edo State, yesterday, ordered the four suspended Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, House of Assembly members to obey the order of the state High Court in Benin, which restrained them from entering the premises of the Assembly complex on Ring Road, Benin City.
It will be recalled that the state House of Assembly had suspended Festus Ebea, Friday Ogierhiakhi, Jude Ise-Idehen and Patrick Osayinde for alleged misconduct. But the lawmakers described their suspension as illegal and continued to attend the House proceedings.
Consequently, the Mr. Uyi Igbe-led House approached the state High Court and obtained injunction restraining them from entering the Assembly premises. The court also restrained the Police from the premises of the Assembly.
The suspended lawmakers, meanwhile, approached the Appeal Court, where they prayed the court to stay the execution of the order.
However, delivering judgment on the appeal yesterday, the three-man panel presided over by Justice H. Ogunwumiju, faulted the PDP lawmakers for coming to the appellate court when they refused to obey the judgment of the lower court.
According to her, it was the “responsibility of the court to interpret an order of a court and not the parties.”
The appellate court further chastised the four suspended lawmakers for approaching the appellate court after refusing to obey the lower court order, noting that their decision to run to the appellate court was “hasty” and an abuse of court process.
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the PDP lawmakers, Mr. Fred Orbih, SAN, said they will study the judgment and react appropriately.
Mr. Ken Mozia, SAN, counsel to Speaker Igbe and Edo Assembly, described the ruling as a good omen for democracy.
He said: “The effect is that the order restraining them has now been re-emphasised and there is no further bar to the continuation of the committal proceedings against them as long as they remain in contempt by failing to abide by the decision of the court restraining them from going to the House. That is the import of this ruling.
“It is up to the Commissioner of Police and the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, to decide how they want to be remembered. They have a duty to comply with the order of the High Court, which the appellate court has said they failed to do.”
The Edo State House of Assembly crisis took a new twist on Monday morning when the Peoples Democratic Party lawmakers gained entry into the Anthony Enahoro Assembly Complex and held a separate plenary.
The lawmakers, which included the impeached Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea, who acted as Speaker and three suspended members, sat in front of the entrance to the chamber.
It was gathered that the lawmakers had met at the assembly complex as early as 7am, with a separate mace and a Sergeant at Arms, overheard acclaiming, “Mr. Speaker” repeatedly as the “House” rose.
Ebea, while briefing newsmen after the sitting, said the lawmakers had resolved that the renovation in the Assembly Complex was illegal.
He said, “It did not go through due process.
“It did not pass through my table, as the Chairman of the Committee on Tenders Board.”
He also stated that the Speaker, Uyi Igbe, and other principal officers of the House, whom they had suspended, should be prevented from making withdrawals from the Assembly’s account.
Ebea said the House had further asked the Governor Adams Oshiomhole, to pay the outstanding entitlements of the recalled teachers and instructed the 24 local government chairmen to forward their receipts of cash disbursements to the House.
A heavy presence of security operatives was seen around the Assembly causing gridlocks on major roads around the legislative building.
The Impeached Deputy Speaker of Edo state House of Assembly, Hon. Festus Ebea has vowed that his group of nine lawmakers will resist any ploy to deny them of their rights with the last drop of their blood.
Ebea, who was first suspended alongside four other lawmakers before he was eventually impeached on allegation of misconduct and misdemeanor, Wednesday, also restated his claim to the deputy speakership position.
Following his impeachment, the Assembly elected Victor Edoror in his stead.
However, in his reaction to the entire episode in Benin City, the state capital, Ebea accused the Speaker, Hon. Uyi Igbe of acting out a script written by the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
“They have thrown Edo state into confusion because of selfish agenda” he said, adding that “Edo State does not belong to the Comrade Governor, neither does it belong to the 24 of us; people voted us in there. We must not take the people for granted”.
Ebea continued: “I have said it, if we say status ante, I am ready to go back to my deputy speakership position but when somebody begins to push Uyi Igbe to say that he must prescribe punishment to his colleagues, I would tell you that we will resist it with the last drop of our blood”.
Asked if his alleged claim of the position of Speaker is on, the Impeached Deputy Speaker, said “Ooh, you are absolutely correct”.
BENIN CITY-THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state Thursday said the impeachment of the suspended Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Festus Ebea was an internal affairs of the House which it said followed the due process.
The party was reacting to the press conference by the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, who said that the APC lawmakers do not have the required 2/3 to impeach the Ebea just as he alleged that the impeachment was done in Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s bed room.
Reacting, the state chairman of the APC, Mr Anslem Ojezua, asserted that “what Orbih is seeing now is the result of the mischief that he masterminded together with his associates. They succeeded in misleading their members to plan a botched coup and the consequences of that mischievous action is the removal of the Deputy Speaker.
The opposition ignorantly makes noise about the number of Assembly Members that can remove the Deputy Speaker from office by claiming that the House did not meet the 2/3 requirement to so remove Hon. Festus Ebea as Deputy Speaker.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the notice of impeachment of Hon. Festus Ebea was signed by 16 members of the House. This clearly was more than the 13 signatures required to impeach him. It must be borne in mind that with the suspension of 4 members, only 20 members are, for now, legitimately entitled to attend and participate in any legislative business of the House of Assembly.
“Two-thirds of 20 members cannot by any stretch of imagination be anything above 13.
We state for the records that impeachment of an officer is an internal affair of the State House of Assembly following its rules. In the instant case, the House has complied with its extant rules.
“We also find it laughable that the impeached Deputy Speaker, Hon Festus Ebea, said the sitting of the lawmakers was held in the Governor’s Office. We are embarrassed that the Deputy Speaker has no sense of history and is so ignorant as to know that the sittings of the House of Assembly used to hold in the Government House before the new complex at the Airport Road was erected.
“For the information of the impeached Deputy Speaker and that of the unsuspecting members of the public, the old chambers of the Edo State House of Assembly is within the precinct of the Government House and the Old Assembly building is still a property of the Assembly which is there for them to use whenever they feel the need to do so” it stated.
Ojezua further stated that “And the reason for the House going to sit in an alternative location was duly articulated in the motion read by the Majority leader, Philip Shaibu that the new Assembly chambers was undergoing renovation works. For Orbih to threaten that they are going to break into the chambers on Monday, even with the four suspended members tells you they want to perpetuate illegality.
“Again I want to remind you that the people of Edo state have been worried that they have not been getting the representation that they deserve because the House was held hostage by eight members against 16. The hostage situation has been deflated and Edo people are happy that the House is now sitting and they are doing their legislative works. So we are appealing to our friends in PDP to have respect for the judiciary by allowing the judicial process to play out” he stated.
A great step in the history of Edo State House of Assembly was attained today in a bid geared towards putting an end to the lingering
crisis which has rocked the State House of Assembly. This step was made as Hon. Victor Sabor Edoror, representing Esan Central Constituency was sworn in as Deputy Speaker in the Edo State House of Assembly at the Old Chambers of the House of Assembly at the Government House. The swearing in was done at the Government House following the renovation work currently in place at the Chief Anthony Enahoro Complex which is estimated to be completed within the next four weeks.
Hon. Victor Sabor Edoror has served in various committees in the House. His wealth of experience serving as the Chairman House Committee on Culture and Tourism among others, added to his integrity and astute legislative prowess deemed him fit to be the Deputy Speaker.
Meanwhile, Hon. Festus Ebea, representing Esan South-East Constituency has been impeached and ceases to function as the Deputy Speaker Edo State House of Assembly
Chief Francis Inegbeneki is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. He reacts, in this interview, on the crisis in the state House of Assembly, saying the leadership of the party in Edo Central will commence the processing of recalling the suspended Speaker, Festus Ebea, for going against Governor Adams Oshiomhole who is their in-law.
He also speaks on the defection of some APC members in the state to the PDP, and expresses the confidence that they will return to the APC before the 2016 governorship election in Edo. Excerpts:
Some members of your party (APC) recently defected to the PDP. Why were you leaders unble to solve the problem?
We did all we could to solve the problem including the governor begging them without us knowing that they had their own agenda. We did not expect that the disagreement will go this far. It all started during the congress when some members who lost out cried out.
We, the leaders, thought it was just a misunderstanding, and the leaders made efforts to speak to all parties but we discovered that those who lost the congress were vehement, addressing press conferences, giving the governor ultimatum. Some people were fueling it, but the issue is that, if you lose today, you can win tomorrow.
But in this case, these people never saw it that way, it is like they had another agenda. The crisis is normal in any political party but it is over now. It is obvious they left the party because of their agenda, but let us see how they can make it in future.
But are you people not going to miss Pastor Ize-Iyamu?
Ize-Iyamu is a politician that we respect, he worked for the APC. As our friend and brother, we miss him but his exit will not affect the fortunes of the APC in Edo. If you observe properly, most of his followers did not go with him because some of them believe that the Comrade Governor is working for the Edo people and that is the major issue, not the ambition of a few.
But the way he handled it is not good considering his relationship with the governor. Yes, we lost some members to the PDP, but some PDP members are also joining APC. There are people who left APC for PDP because of Ize-Iyamu and, today, we see those people also coming back to APC because they believe they cannot work together. Politics is about alignment and re-alignment.
However, Ize-Iyamu is my friend, he should put ego aside and come back home before the doors will be shut. He was part and parcel of this party, he knows that the people in PDP will not welcome him. They only want to use him and dump him. He knows that the PDP will never give him the governorship ticket, they will not even allow him to call leadership meeting.
There is already a crack now in PDP with his coming into the party because the PDP god father in Edo Central is not happy with the way another godfather from Edo South brought Ize-Iyamu into the PDP. My advice is that Ize-Iyamu should not be ashamed to come back home.
Edo Assembly crisis
Frankly speaking, I see what is happening in the House of Assembly as a show of shame. I see it as the ant trying to challenge the elephant. We were in this state when members suspended erring lawmakers and the lawmakers accepted the suspension. We are surprised that the lawmakers who were suspended refused to play by the rules. The crisis is being fueled from Abuja.
They must abide by the court ruling because they went to court to pray it not to suspend or declare their seats vacant. The court granted that their seats should not be declared vacant but rejected the prayer that they should not be suspended.
The court declared that it is within the powers of the House to suspend and based on that they were suspended but they still refused to obey the High Court order after the House obeyed the Federal High Court order by not declaring their seats vacant.
I am bothered that the Deputy Speaker who is from our place is involved in this and he forgot that he was not the one that gave himself the office but the Esan people. The Deputy Speaker did not consult with the leaders and people before he defected to PDP, leading the rebellion against Oshiomhole.
Before he was made Deputy Speaker, the leaders and traditional rulers from Esan met with the governor where we pleaded that Edo Central should produce the Speaker. But the governor explained that there is a law existing already which says that a first timer cannot be Speaker otherwise Ebea would have been Speaker. So the governor gave him Deputy Speaker but when he got it he started fighting the governor.
As a leader from Edo Central we do not support what he is doing, we in Edo Central don’t have problem with the governor because he is our in-law. Ebea’s actions has made us to lose Deputy Speakership. As a result the leaders have commenced the process to recall him because he does not have our mandate to fight the governor. Ebea is on his own.
The Esan people passed a vote of confidence on the governor because he has touched our lives in Esan land in many ways. The governor never hates Esan as they are lying; he married an Esan woman, he is our brother and son.
Edo 2016
Between now and 2016 the people will know the truth. What the PDP is doing now is to deceive our people, promising what they will not do, just to get the people to join the party. But when they get there they will discover that nothing is there to grab.
It is all about politics of stomach but by the time these people who are joining the PDP discover that there is no gold there, they will come back to the APC before the 2016 governorship election. Some are crying that they have not benefited from any contract; how do you benefit when you are not a contractor?
So do you want Oshiomhole to just give you money for a job that you cannot execute? Oshiomhole will not do that. We are happy with his developmental strides. And I want to appeal to APC leaders, let us think about the state and not our own interestS. What should be of concern to us is that Oshiomhole must continue in developing Edo as he is doing and not what we can get from him. The man is working.
Ekiti Election
A lot of things went wrong, our national chairman, Odigie Oyegun, said before the election that the PDP was planning to rig the election. Of course, you saw the build up to the election. The police, army and Civil Defence are agents of the PDP and of course when you deploy them to that area, the voters will feel intimidated.
That deployment of soldiers was an attempt to intimidate the APC people in the state and that gave room for manipulations by the PDP. If you look at the number of votes and the original voters list in Ekiti, you will find that a lot of people were disenfranchised and that was what APC suffered.
APC supporters were scared of coming out because some of them were earmarked for elimination or arrest, so what is the free and fair thing in that election?
Factional Speaker of the Assembly, Chief Festus Ebea, said: “We have been following due process and we have regard for the rule of law. Our suspension has a time lapse and it has since lapsed after 14 days because there was sitting on June 10, 2014 which was the following day.
crisis which has rocked the State House of Assembly. This step was made as Hon. Victor Sabor Edoror, representing Esan Central Constituency was sworn in as Deputy Speaker in the Edo State House of Assembly at the Old Chambers of the House of Assembly at the Government House. The swearing in was done at the Government House following the renovation work currently in place at the Chief Anthony Enahoro Complex which is estimated to be completed within the next four weeks.
He also speaks on the defection of some APC members in the state to the PDP, and expresses the confidence that they will return to the APC before the 2016 governorship election in Edo. Excerpts: