As the division in the Edo State House of Assembly continues, the House has declared the seat of one of its members, vacant.
The Speaker, Uyi Igbe, who made the declaration during the House plenary at old assembly complex in Benin, explained that the affected lawmaker, Abdulrazak Momoh, representing Etsako West 1 constituency, defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party without following due process.
Igbe stated that session 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, authorised the Speaker to declare the seat of a lawmaker upon defection from the party he was elected to another party and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to take necessary steps to fill the vacant position within 90 days.
Abdulrazak Momoh, who however, described the action as laughable, said the 15 APC lawmakers’ action was cut short by the court action instituted against them for forging his signature.
Momoh said there was a subsisting court order stopping the House from declaring seats vacant, suspending and stopping the salaries of the defected lawmakers.
He said the Speaker had in the past said he (Momoh) was not suspended because of a pending legal action he instituted against the Assembly.
Momoh said, “And the court restrained them from suspending and declaring my seat vacant. It is already a known fact that they do not obey court orders.
“What they have done today is null and void because the Government House is not the designated place for legislative activities.”
The lawmakers have continued to hold separate plenaries since June 9, when crisis erupted among the 24-member House.
Mr Philip Shaibu, the Majority Leader, Edo House of Assembly, says the crisis in the Assembly was not fueled by the defection of four All Progressives Congress legislators.
Shaibu told the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Benin that what happened was contrary to the claims making the rounds.
“The crisis was rather fueled by the refusal of the four lawmakers who defected to the Peoples’ Democratic Party to obey a court order,” he said.
The legislator said the APC, whose members are in the majority in the House, had no problem with the defection of the four members to the PDP.
He said the four PDP lawmakers had before their defection approached the court with prayers that the assembly should not declare their seats vacant or suspend them.
“We (the House) obeyed the first prayer. But the court did not grant them the second prayer, which was meant to stop us from suspending them should they defect.
“The House of Assembly has its rules and it allows for the suspension of erring members and members who are disobedient to its rules.
“It was on this basis that the four erring members were suspended by the House.
“They (PDP lawmakers) refused to obey the court order suspending them and even disregarded the court order which forbids them from the precinct of the assembly.
“We cannot be lawmakers and at the same time be law-breakers.
“If we (the legislature) can obey the court order, which forbids us from declaring the seats of the defecting PDP legislators vacant, why did they fail to obey the court order which forbids them from the precinct of the assembly?’’
A Benin High Court presided over by Justice V.O. Eboreime had on June 16 restrained the suspended lawmakers from forcibly gaining entrance into the assembly premises and legislative quarters.
The lawmakers are Deputy Speaker Festus Ebea, Jude Ise-Idehen, Friday Ogieriakhi and Patrick Osayimwen.
The crisis led to the polarisation of the assembly with APC lawmakers having their plenary in the Benin Government House, while the minority PDP legislators sit in the assembly complex.
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.”
BENIN—The 15 All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers in Edo State, yesterday, held a parallel plenary at the old House of Assembly complex, Government House Benin City and accused the Police in the state of bias.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, nine lawmakers had earlier held theirs at the Anthony Enahoro Assembly Complex, in front of the entrance to the chambers.
However, the 15 APC lawmakers led by the Speaker, Mr Uyi Igbe and other administrative staff of the Assembly, including the Clerk of the House, Sergeant at Arms and others, held plenary at the former Assembly quarters in Government House, where they had relocated last week due to the on-going renovation work at the Ring Road Assembly complex.
At the sitting, they called on President Goodluck Jonathan to direct the Inspector General of Police, IG, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar, to call the police in the state to order, alleging that they were being used by some politicians.
Moving a motion under matters of urgent public importance, the member representing Akoko-Edo constituency I, Kabiru Adjoto, said the police have abdicated their responsibility of protecting the public and constituted themselves into “protégé of the PDP with their supervision of the destruction of government property.”
The motion was seconded by Mr Sunday Aghedo, representing Ovia South-West constituency. The Speaker directed that copies of the resolution be sent to the President, IG, Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Zone 5, Commissioner of Police, ECOWAS and United Nations Security Councils Secretariats in Abuja for action.
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.
A Non-Governmental Organisation, One Love Family and Caring Association, has asked a Benin High Court to order the 24 lawmakers in the Edo State House of Assembly to refund to the coffers of the state government all financial benefits they may have received from the State Accountant-General and Commissioner of Finance from the day they abandoned their constitutional duties.
The Chairman of the group, Chief Patrick Eholor, in a suit dated July 4, 2014 with NO: B/375/14, filed through his counsel, T.A Akahomen Esq., alleged that the Speaker of the House, Uyi Igbe, and 23 others, being 1st to 24th defendants, had refused to hold plenary and perform their legislative duties since June 9, 2014.
Eholor prayed the court to instruct the State Accountant-General and Commissioner of Finance, being the 27th and 28th defendants, to provide the financial record of the refunds made by the legislators to the assembly clerk for court record and publication of same in two national dailies for record purpose.
He also asked the court to compel the 27th and 28th defendants to put on hold, any financial benefit or entitlement, including constituency allowances, due to the 1st to 24th defendants, pending their resumption of duty as members of State Assembly.
The claimant, while requesting an order to the effect that the alleged sitting for legislative matters by some of the lawmakers at the Edo state Government House on July 2, 2014 or other such sittings contravened the principles of separation of power in the 1999 constitution, described their display of disunity in public as “unwholesome and unbecoming.”
Edolor added that the legislators’ actions had halted the socioeconomic lives of the people and the other arms of government, in the area of checks and balances.
He argued that it was wrong for the lawmakers to enjoy any benefits or privileges, including services of their cars, while off duty.
He said, “Public funds are meant to service statutory services and duties. The 1st to 24th defendants have no justification whatsoever to continue to enjoy any financial benefit of their offices.
“Nigerians who are resident in Edo state ought to enjoy the services of the 1st to 24th respondents because they came to their offices by virtue of the votes cast by Edo people, for whom they subscribed on oath.”
The Edo State House of Assembly has been rocked by crisis since June 9, following the suspension of four of its members on a ground misconduct.
The two factions in the House led by the Speaker, Uyi Igbe, on the one hand, and impeached Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea on the other hand, had on Friday bickered over ongoing repairs in the Assembly Complex.
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—THE crisis rocking Edo State House of Assembly degenerated, yesterday, with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members and their All Progressives Congress, APC, counterparts, holding parallel sessions in front of the main entrance to the Assembly complex.
While the APC legislators’ session, presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Uyi Igbe, adjourned sitting to Wednesday next week, the PDP legislators, at their session presided over by the suspended Deputy Speaker, Mr. Festus Ebea, adjourned plenary to Monday.
Mr. Kabiru Adjoto of APC, who announced the adjournment of his faction’s session, said that the House will resume plenary on Wednesday next week and cautioned security details at the Assembly against letting any lawmaker into the complex until sitting resumes.
The PDP faction was presided over by the suspended Deputy Speaker, Ebea and they covered their heads with PDP customized umbrellas. They spent about 10 minutes deciding what to do about plenary.
Mr. Friday Ogierhiakhi thereafter, announced that they will resume sitting on Monday, June 30, 2014.
Earlier, there was drama when the PDP lawmakers wanted to use an umbrella with PDP logo to protect themselves during the early morning rain, as their APC counterparts protested. The Majority Leader of the House, Mr Philip Shaibu, said that it was sort of a campaign, which according to him was not proper.
Meanwhile, the Edo State APC caucus in the House of Representatives, yesterday threatened that the House of Representatives may take over the affairs of the Edo State House of Assembly, if the current crisis rocking the House was not resolved soon.
The caucus, in a statement by Samson Osagie (Minority Whip), Razaq Bello-Osagie, Pally Iriase, Jim Adun, Isaac Nosa Osahon and Peter Akpatason, commended the Oba of Benin for intervening in the matter, but called on the police to execute the order of the state High Court, which restrained the four suspended lawmakers from entering the Assembly premises.
Meantime, the elders forum of the APC in Esan South-East constituency of Edo State, has disowned the embattled Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Mr Festus Ebea, describing him as an ingrate.
On its part, the APC caucus in the House of Reps in a statement, said: “As lawmakers, we all owe the institution a duty not to bring it into disrepute by obeying the rules of the parliament and all valid orders made by a court of competent jurisdiction, when they are called to intervene in any matter involving the actions of the legislature.
“We call on the members of Edo State House of Assembly, especially those against whom an order was made to respect such orders no matter how dissatisfied they are with the order.”
BENIN—AS members of Edo State House of Assembly sit today amidst unresolved crisis, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has admonished the four suspended Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers in the House to obey the court order which restrained them from attending the House sittings.
Oshiomhole
Similarly, Coalition of Registered Political Parties, CRPP, in the state has urged the four suspended lawmakers to obey the court order.
CRPP, in a statement by its state Chairman, Dr. Samson Isibor, said: “We are calling on the suspended lawmaker to respect their status and obey court orders in order to avoid anarchy.”
Bailiff’s action condemnable —Ebea But the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Festus Ebea, has described as condemnable, the action of a court bailiff who wanted to serve him and the three other Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers the court processes outside their residence and offices, from which they were being denied access, as ludicrous.
The suspended Deputy Speaker’s condemnation is coming on the heels of the decision of the suspended lawmakers and those of the PDP to attend today’s session.
The Chief Minority Whip of the House, Mr. Kingsley Ehigiamusoe, who spoke to Vanguard in a telephone chat, when asked if they would attend the House session which was adjourned to today, said: “We will attend today’s session.
We are only appealing to our colleagues on the other side to give peace a chance in the interest of Edo people. As for us, the session will be peaceful and there will be no problem.”
Ebea, who spoke with journalists in Benin, weekend, said: “The suspension was quite laughable because the rule which they relied on, i.e. Rule 38 (3, 4 and 6), is quite explicit to the effect that for you to be suspended, you must be at the sitting and it is one person at a time.
You cannot suspend a group. “In my case, they said ‘misconduct’ that the Deputy Speaker is always in nocturnal meetings with other people. What is funny about this is that the people that met me, did so in my capacity as Deputy Speaker, in my official residence, not elsewhere.
“When the suspension came, the Speaker and others decided to deal with the former APC lawmakers that defected alleging that Patrick Osayimwen, Oredo East; Friday Ogieriakhi, Orhionmwon South and Jude Idehen, Ikpoba-Okha, got money to defect to the PDP and that they (Deputy Speaker and others) were induced.
“They offered me money because I had not crossed, but I refused. Mine was even tripled, but I still refused because the issues I had with them are clearly stated and till tomorrow, I will not back down on those issues; it is not about me. So God, the judge of all knows if I had collected money, whether from PDP or the Federal Government or from any other human being to do what I am doing.
Nobody induced me. In as much as I know that I cannot speak for any of my colleague, if you verify from them, you will find that they were not induced.”
However, Governor Oshiomhole on a live television programme, monitored in Benin City, called on the lawmakers to obey the court order so as to avoid unnecessary tension in the state.
“The institutions of state are still weak. The House of Assembly got a court injunction from a Federal High Court restraining them from suspending or declaring the seats of four members vacant. The court also upheld the power of the House to suspend their members based on the rules of the House. The court would not freeze those powers therefore, it vacated that aspect of the order.
“Based on the court ruling, the House as a lawmaking institution and therefore a law abiding institution decided to suspend these four members. But they decided that they will not accept the court order and they got the Police to force them into the House.”
GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, said he will not be distracted in the task of bringing development to every part of the state by what he described as the impunity and disregard for the rule of law by some lawmakers in the state House of Assembly .
Governor Oshiomhole
Speaking while inspecting the storm water masterplan project in Benin City, the governor, said: “Between now and December, we will lay asphalt on this Upper Siluko Road, it will be six lanes and between then and the middle of next year, we will put street lights on the road.
“Let me assure you, all those people who are fighting in the House of Assembly, trying to cause trouble, who want us to bring government money for them to share, we will not give them public money. We will use Edo money for Edo people. And with your prayers, we are not afraid. We know that for as long as we work for Edo people, the devil is a liar.”
Some of the residents of the Upper Siluko Road area, who responded hailed the governor for the massive drainage system and road network in the area, adding that they were firmly behind him as they see the good works his administration is doing.
A resident, Mrs. Nonye Umezurike, said: “A saviour has come to us and we are very happy. For many years, those of us doing petty business here were finding it difficult to earn our daily bread, but God has come to our aid by bringing Governor Oshiomhole. He has answered our prayers. For years, there was no road for us to get home, we were trekking and swimming through flood, but today, even when it rains, we move on solid ground. I know that after his tenure, his successor will also work for the people because Oshiomhole has set the precedence.”
For Mr. Augustine Ajayi-Obanor, flood had ravaged the Upper Siluko Road area for over 40 years before the intervention of the Governor Oshiomhole administration.
Bloodbath was averted last Wednesday at the hallowed chambers of the Edo State House of Assembly by the state Police Commissioner, Foluso Adebanjo.
It was a day Adebanjo would not even wish for his enemies, as he kept vigil for over 13 hours as warring lawmakers engaged in a free for all following the failed attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the House to effect leadership change.
The crisis heightened tension in the state as youths and elders monitor Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s political enemies to ensure they do not use their minority in the House to impeach the governor.
Genesis of crisis
Sunday Vanguard had reported penultimate week an alleged plot to impeach Oshiomhole, his deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu and the Speaker of the House, Uyi Igbe.
It was alleged that huge sums of money had been budgeted for the project while some lawmakers were said to have collected N50million each to execute the plot.
Sources said the money was withdrawn from a new generation bank in Benin City. Part of it was said to be in dollars loaded in milk cartons and transported from Abuja to Benin by road.
It was believed that the alleged plot by the PDP in the state, in collaboration with some APC members who recently joined the party, was to destabilize Edo and create an atmosphere of anarchy so as to distract the governor from continuing his developmental strides before the February 2015 general elections.
The leadership of the PDP also realized that it would be difficult to defeat the APC if Oshiomhole is allowed to remain in-charge of the party when campaigns commence.
Therefore, the best bet was to impeach him and the entire APC lawmakers while one of the lawmakers who defected to the PDP from Edo South is made Speaker and later governor. The PDP lawmakers denied any plot to impeach the governor, but one of them, Friday Ogierhakhi, added that they would not hesitate to do that if any impeachable offence is levelled against Oshiomhole.
He went on to debunk the allegation that they collected N50million, describing it as a ploy by the state government to blackmail them. What is still not clear is whether the Presidency is backing the plot but analysts said some elements at the Villa were giving tacit support to it.
Hell was let loose when some youths learnt about the alleged inducement of the lawmakers to impeach the governor. There was protest in the streets by the lawmakers who asked for the recall of the lawmakers.
Oshiomhole, who addressed the youths when they thronged the Government House, each of the lawmakers received N50million to defect to the PDP and impeach him, adding, however, that the plot will not succeed.
He said: “I thank you for recognizing that we all went round to campaign for these people who have decided to sell their mandate for naira and kobo. What is sickening is that they are young men who should be anxious to break from the past.
However because they believe they do not have any chance of being re-elected in February next year, because they have either done two terms or of their poor performance, they know their constituency will not re-nominate them.
They now decided to benefit from the desperation in different parts of the country to sell their mandate for N50 million each, collect advance payment of N35 million.
When I read this in the newspapers, initially, I didn’t believe. But going round, people tell me they are buying new vehicles, others are rebuilding their hotels. Suddenly money is flowing.
Obviously, I think it is important that if democracy is going to survive, each promise must be kept because in the last election, I had to go and do a television advert when the PDP people said this election is not Oshiomhole’s election, therefore vote for individual candidates.
I went on television to say that a vote for these House of Assembly members is a vote for Adams Oshiomhole. I had to do that because Edo people were not going to accept some of these people and I had to remind them that if they do not vote for them they would create problems for me.
Now the vultures have come and they are offering money and people are collecting money and making all kind of excuses. As far as I am concerned, there is no cause for alarm. A lot of these people cannot win election on their own merit in their own booth. They were voted for as ACN with the broom. If you were voted for as ACN, with the broom, how can you now go and replace it with an umbrella that is torn and abandoned?
“People with little mind will think that they can sell their constituents for N35 million or N50 million depending on when they will get their balance and, with time, more truth will be revealed and when it is revealed a lot of these people will not be able to walk through the streets.
Those who voted some of them do not have a thousand naira but those they have voted for have chosen to sell it for a huge sum. As far as I am concerned, we are stronger. Edo politics will be cleaned up and the cleaning is already here”.
Battle ground
It will be recalled that after Edo APC leader, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and his supporters joined the PDP, four lawmakers loyal to his group: Jude Ise-Idehen, Rasaq Momoh, Friday Ogierhakhi and Patrick Osayinmen, also defected.
The defection of the APC lawmakers leaves the party with 16 members out of the 24-member House. It was learnt that the governor’s loyalists knew that the Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea, had switched camp but Sunday Vanguard understood that they tried to convince him to remain in the APC and support Oshiomhole. But when the crisis started, it was obvious he had moved on.
As a result, he became one of the targets of the APC lawmakers. Leading the war against anti-Oshiomhole lawmakers were the Speaker, Igbe, the Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu, and the House Committee Chairman on Information, Kabiri Adjoto.
The tension in the state heightened last Monday, when 14 members of the House suspended the Deputy Speaker, Ogierhakhi; Ise-Idehen and Osayinmen for alleged misconduct. Their suspension followed a motion which accused Ebea of allegedly running a parallel leadership just as he was accused of alleged attempt to get APC lawmakers to join PDP.
Explaining the reason for the defected lawmakers suspension which, according to him, was not as a result of their defection, Adjoto said “The four lawmakers were suspended as a result of misconduct and not because they defected. The Deputy Speaker is still a member of APC as long as we are concerned because he has not said he has decamped. Rasaq Momoh defected but was not suspended.
They offered some of us N50-70million to join the PDP, but that is a poisonous offer because we don’t want to go back to the dark days of the PDP. Our people are happy that Oshiomhole is working, so why must you remove him due to your selfish interest. So that offer was a poisonous carrot and they were using it to destabilize the House. They also took the House to court and that is also against our rules and they know it.”
Invasion
The battle in the House resumed on Tuesday when the PDP lawmakers came to the chamber at about 9am, sat for about three minutes without the mace before the APC lawmakers stormed the House and drove them away. After the incident,the suspended Deputy Speaker claimed he had become the Speaker.
He described his suspension and that of his three colleagues as null and void, saying that it did not follow the due process. At about 6am, on Wednesday, the PDP lawmakers drove into the House premises in company of over 30 armed mobile policemen. They allegedly broke into the chamber to sit with a mace.
As they began their sitting, APC youths had already laid siege around the Assembly premises and alerted their party’s lawmakers who stormed the place. However, there was attempt by the armed policemen to stop the APC lawmakers from entering the chamber to allow the PDP lawmakers effect leadership change. Sources claimed there was serious resistance from Shaibu and Adjoto who challenged the policemen to shoot them.
Sunday Vanguard learnt that some of the lawmakers wore bullet proof vests and were prepared for bloodshed. It was learnt that the APC youths disarmed the policemen and that was how the APC lawmakers pounced on their colleagues. APC lawmakers allegedly confiscated the mace and used it to give some of the PDP lawmakers thorough beating before the arrival of the state Police Commissioner, Foluso Adebanjo, at about 7am.
The chamber was in tatters at this point. Adebanjo and his men were able to take control of the premises and chased away the youths. Sunday Vanguard learnt that guns were found in the premises.
Adebanjo the peacemaker
The warring lawmakers were said to be panting when CP Adebanjo arrived. He addressed them and urged them to make peace before leaving the chamber. He warned against actions that will cause crisis in the state, just as he asked them to talk to their supporters.
Speaker Igbe then started presiding over the meeting while CP Adebanjo was monitoring the situation. The APC lawmakers argued that those who were suspended should leave the chamber and that even if the suspension was going to be lifted, a committee will be set up to do that and not them breaking into the House.
But the PDP lawmakers insisted that they were not leaving the chamber and urged their colleagues to restore their position so that the status quo will remain. Both sides started consulting with their god fathers through their cell phones on what to do. That situation compounded the problem as Sunday Vanguard learnt.
For instance, sources said it was almost agreed that the suspended lawmakers should leave so that, by tomorrow, the suspension may be lifted. But it was gathered that a PDP chieftain informed the PDP lawmakers not to agree, that they should insist that the suspension be lifted immediately.
At about 2pm, the lawmakers’ were exhausted and hungry, they sent for rice. Everybody ate together and exchanged banters but no deal yet. At about 4:30pm, the negotiations changed, after a court injunction which restrained the four suspended members from entering the Assembly premises was displayed to the PDP lawmakers.
The affected ones said they were not aware of the injunction, but their colleagues urged them to abide by it while the search for solution to the crisis continued. The lawmakers were at the chamber till 7pm that day before they left. CP Adebajo was with them throughout the meeting.
Commenting on the mace which was recovered from the PDP lawmakers, Adjoto said it was in possession of the Sergeant at Arms.
The suspended PDP lawmakers, in a separate briefing, told journalists they will attend the House sitting tomorrow, adding that they have legal backing.
Though it was not clear the legal backing they have, the state chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, said the party had appealed against the injunction against the lawmakers. Meanwhile, CP Adebanjo disclosed that 37 suspected thugs were arrested during the three days crisis at the Edo House of Assembly.
The suspects were arrested with cutlasses, long axe, large quantity of broken bottles and stones used as missiles. The suspects were arraigned in a Magistrate Court in Benin City for offences ranging from conspiracy, riotous act and unlawful assembly to conduct likely to cause the breach of the peace and have been remanded in prison custody.
The Oba of Benin, Omo n’Oba Erediauwa, has waded into the crisis rocking Edo State House of Assembly, urging the actors to allow peace to reign.
The Oba, who told politicians not to plunge Edo into crisis, held a meeting with leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his palace, yesterday. He appealed to the political parties to resolve their political differences in the interest of peace and security.
Oba Erediauwa
A statement issued by the palace and personally signed by His Royal Majesty, the Oba of Benin said: “I thank leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic party (PDP) for honouring my invitation at short notice.
“I invited you to my palace to appeal to you on the need to allow peace continue to reign in Edo State, I know youo as politicians have a way of resolving political issues, no matter how delicate and sensitive the issues are.
“Politicians in Edo State, regardless of whichever political parties they belong to, I am quite sure, will do all they can to ensure that our great state especially Benin City, the capital, is not made ungovernable for political reasons. I know as citizens of Edo State, you will always do all you can to protect our people and our land.
“On this very note, taking into consideration what has been happening since the beginning of this week, I am appealing to you not to engage in the destruction of lives and properties for whatever reasons. I also appeal to you as you leave here to have the interest of Edo State at heart and amicably resolve whatever political disagreement you may have, which I am sure, you are well capable of resolving for peace and security to reign. I thank you for coming and God bless you all.”
Representing the APC at the meeting were Dr Pius Odubu, Deputy Governor of Edo State and Hon Patrick Obahiagbon, Chief of Staff to the Governor.
Chief Dan Orbih, PDP Chairman, Mr Lucky Imasuen, one-time Deputy Governor, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Hon Festus Ebea, suspended Speaker of the State House of Assembly represented the PDP.
Meanwhile, a former Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Rowland Owie, has urged the warring members of the House not to allow people he described as “ambitious politicians” ruin their career and the prevailing peace in the state.
Owie, who was reacting to the crisis in the parliament, said: “Our legislators in Edo should seek peace among themselves and should not allow over ambitious politicians to drag the state to dishonour. The new PDP in Edo state under the chairmanship of Chief Dan Orbih believe in the rule of law and not thuggery.
“Nobody knows whom the stone thrown in the market will hit. Senators and members of the House of Representatives have decamped to APC, PDP and vice versa, but they are in harmony in their various chambers.
That of Edo State should not be different. Above all, PDP government under President Goodluck Jonathan does not go after perceived enemies. We, in PDP, pray for perceived enemies to be able to see the light of God and choose love rather than hate”.
The Edo State police command on Friday raised alarm over a plot by politicians to unleash mayhem on the state during resumption of plenary on Monday at the state House of Assembly, warning that it will not hesitate to deal with anybody that attempts to plunge the state into crisis.
The state assembly was during the week thrown into a leadership crisis following the suspension and counter suspension of the deputy speaker, Hon Festus Ebea, and the Speaker, Hon Uyi Igbe and others. The assembly has further been divided into pro and anti-Gov. Adams Oshiomhole camps with the latter allegedly plotting the governor’s impeachment.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Foluso Adebanjo, who gave the warning when he paraded 42 suspects involved in armed robbery, defilement, kidnapping and murder, including a 42-year-old pastor who defiled a 12 year old girl, lamented a situation where politicians in the state were heating the polity unnecessarily.
Adebanjo also lamented that “in the last few days, the Edo State police command has done its best to contend with the crisis without loss of lives. From the information available, politicians are heating up the polity by making unguarded statements, creating unnecessary tension in the state”.
He added: “Information from undisclosed sources revealed that political stalwarts and supporters are arming thugs with offensive weapons for a showdown at the Edo State House of Assembly on Monday 16th June 2014. The Edo State police command therefore is using this medium to warn politicians, party supporters and political thugs to have a rethink and desist from making unguarded statements capable of creating chaos at the state House of Assembly.
“The command wishes to warn and advise politicians to follow due process through the courts or political solutions in resolving the disagreement amongst themselves. For the avoidance of doubt and purpose of clarity, the command will not tolerate any act of thuggery but encourage the good citizens of Edo State to be law abiding and go about their lawful business without fear of harassment”. (Info Nigeria)
Igbe stated that session 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, authorised the Speaker to declare the seat of a lawmaker upon defection from the party he was elected to another party and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to take necessary steps to fill the vacant position within 90 days.
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.
It was a day Adebanjo would not even wish for his enemies, as he kept vigil for over 13 hours as warring lawmakers engaged in a free for all following the failed attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the House to effect leadership change.
The state assembly was during the week thrown into a leadership crisis following the suspension and counter suspension of the deputy speaker, Hon Festus Ebea, and the Speaker, Hon Uyi Igbe and others. The assembly has further been divided into pro and anti-Gov. Adams Oshiomhole camps with the latter allegedly plotting the governor’s impeachment.