… Clark, Edo APC Chair Back Gov
THE one –week cut-off date the House of Representatives gave Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to issue a fresh proclamation of the Edo State House of Assembly, following protest by 14 members-elect, who relocated from the state after hired thugs allegedly attacked them at a hotel in Benin City, the state capital, expired, Wednesday, with the governor remaining immovable.
Wednesday, July 17, the House of Representatives enjoined the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Bichi, to seal off the Edo State House of Assembly pending the conduct of a proper inauguration.
The House also asked Governor Godwin Obaseki to issue notice of a fresh proclamation of the Seventh Assembly within one week, which the media must publish. The resolutions adopted by the House were the key recommendations of the Hon Abdurazak Namdas-led panel it earlier set up to probe the imbroglio and make proposals on way forward.
Both the Police and DSS declined to shut down the operations of the Edo House of Assembly as resolved by the House of Representatives, rather security operatives provided security within and outside the Assembly complex in Benin City. July 24 in Edo Assembly In fact, on Wednesday, when the ultimatum terminated, Saturday Vanguard was on Obaseki’s trail and at the assembly complex to monitor developments.
The Speaker, Hon Frank Okiye accompanied by some lawmakers went to inspect the level of work going on at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. Workers went about their normal business as if there was nothing amid, some said they were unaware that the ultimatum had expired, but that as civil servants, they would always do the work and let the politicians would do their politicking.
Supporters of the governor have continued to insist that issuing a fresh letter of inauguration was out of the question, while the Clerk of the House and others had since secured an interim order restraining the National Assembly from taking over the Edo Assembly. Obaseki left no one in doubt Indications that Governor Obaseki would not accept bow to the wishes of the House of Representatives came very early in the day, as he dared those he described as Abuja lawmakers days before the House of Representatives Committee visited the state to take over the state assembly if they could. Secretary to the Edo State Government, SSG, Osarodion Ogie, who adumbrated the position of the state government same day the federal lawmakers churned out the directives, stated categorically that the House of Representatives lacked the Constitutional powers to shut down the Edo State House of Assembly.
“There is nowhere in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where the House of Representatives or even the National Assembly for that matter, is granted the right or power to shut down a State House of Assembly,” adding that “in point of fact such power is expressly excluded by the Constitution.”
“The Government and people of Edo State are appalled and disappointed at the gross illegality and abuse of process by the House of Representatives.” “It must first of all be pointed out that the emergency supervisory powers over the activities of State Houses of Assembly which are contained in Section 11 of the Constitution of our Republic are expressly donated to “The National Assembly” and not one individual arm of it.
“These powers certainly do not extend to issuing directives to a duly elected State Governor to unlawfully repeat an act which has already been fully carried out in line with the Constitution “Students of history will recall that the crises in the Western Region Parliament in the 1960s which triggered a conflagration that eventually engulfed the entire nation, was precipitated by a similar attempt to use ‘Federal might’ to muscle, intimidate and overwhelm the functionaries of a Federating unit outside the due process of law.
“Since the situation in the Edo State House of Assembly is a matter currently pending before two (2) Courts of competent jurisdiction, the Government of Edo State would not follow the contemptuous example of those who are currently commenting, adjudicating upon and giving directives on matters currently being litigated upon,” he said. Ogie said Edo government acknowledged its respect for the National Assembly, but noted, “we live in a nation governed by laws, where no single individual or group is permitted to utilise its privileged position to oppress and intimidate the people of an entire state.” He added, “The government does not intend to comment on the details of this House of Assembly dispute as same are clearly sub judice, but will ask all concerned to tread with caution so as not to precipitate crises simply in pursuit of selfish agenda.”
Edo APC chair backs gov
Chair of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Chief Anselm Ojezua, who spoke on the logjam, said:
“We do not even believe that the National Assembly has any business in this matter. We do not believe it is right for them to take a step but you know we are obliged to be polite when they came calling for obvious reasons.” “We made all the facts known. If we had rebuffed them, the tendency would have been to believe that we had something to hide. They came and they had all the facts. The facts are: the House was inaugurated, there is a leadership in place, the house is functioning and the matter is in court.
“With that knowledge what we expected them to report and recommend is “they should seek political solution and watch the judicial pronouncement. They did not do that, they did not even wait for the National Assembly process to be completed before they went to town. Therefore, in doing that they may have justified the speculation in town arising from an audio where one of the members-elect was boasting that the matter had been resolved, that the senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives had already been told what to do. “Two or three days, they did what the member-elect said even prematurely of their own processes. That to my mind has compounded the problem rather than help to resolve it. That is why I said when the problem created by the National Assembly dissipates we will continue with our reconciliation. We are on course,” he said
Clark blasts federal lawmakers
However, elder statesman, Senator Edwin Clark, who spoke for the first time, Monday, on the matter, took a swipe at the House of Representatives and the entire Reps over the action, describing their position as unconstitutional and illegal. He said, “I have painfully watched with great concern, the legislative squabble in Edo State House of Assembly, and the rapidity without any due process the House of Representatives interfered in the affairs of the Edo State House of Assembly.” “The House of Representatives alone has no power or authority to interfere in the affairs of the Edo State House of Assembly as it is asserted to have done. It is unconstitutional and of no legal effect. “The Senate acting on the same subject stated that it has not completed its findings in the disagreement between the members of the Edo State House of Assembly, and it will soon come to the resolution of the matter which is at variance with the position already taken by your House,” he said. Vanguard
