Edo State House of Assembly: When thunder strikes twice on same spot

Patrick Okohue

The current crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly and by extension the Edo State government has been described by many political watchers from within and outside the state as one crisis too many.

This is especially following a similar crisis that rocked the state during the tenure of the former governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, when the state Assembly complex was shot down for many months and a handful of the lawmakers loyal to the governor were given access to the governor’s office to do their legislative duties.

So, when the current crisis broke even before the inauguration of the state Assembly, many people wondered if Edo State was under a curse that will not allow government to run there as its being done across many states of the nation.

The development is especially intriguing because it is only one year to the governorship election in Edo State, which is the only state in the South South and South East that is controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and now the party is torn into two factions, following the crisis.

Many political watchers who should know have attributed the crisis to a battle over who gets the party ticket for the 2020 gubernatorial election.

The splintering of the party, it was gathered, is as a result of a silent war between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who is currently National Chairman of the ruling APC.

The face-off between the governor and his predecessor it is believed has gone so bad that the state Assembly could not be properly inaugurated because of fears that those loyal to Oshiomhole may hijack the leadership of the House and possibly make the state ungovernable for Obaseki, if not finds a reason to impeach him.

This, political watchers say may have accounted for why only those loyal to the governor, who are in the minority, were present at the inauguration of the Assembly and from among whom leadership of the House were picked.

The cold war between the duo is also traced to Oshiomhole loyalists who are said to have been protesting against alleged unfair treatment by the current governor after the departure of Oshiomhole from Government House, Benin.

Interestingly, Obaseki was the head of Oshiomhole’s economic team during his tenure.

The incumbent governor, who was not in the group of those fighting for the party ticket in the build-up to 2016 election, was single-handedly made the flagbearer of the party by Oshiomhole against many odds.

At the time Obaseki was a hard sell, as many party chieftains rejected him because he was said to be perceived as someone who might not bend to their whim and caprices.

But Oshiomhole, it was gathered, used his power as the state governor and his oratory skill to arm-twist party chieftains. Some of the contestants eventually stepped down and supported his preferred and ‘anointed’ candidate.

In line with Oshiomhole’s permutation, Obaseki emerged the candidate of the APC and defeated the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, at the poll.

Strikingly, as soon as Obaseki was sworn-in as the governor, he introduced new rules and regulations on access to Government House.

The new rules banned politicians who have no business at the Osadebe House, making a place that hitherto became a Mecca of sorts for politicians during Oshiomhole’s administration to suddenly turn to a no-go area.

Obaseki was said to have told the party chieftains and foot soldiers of Oshiomhole that he remained a technocrat who believed that the allocation to the state and its internally-generated revenue were meant for the development of the state, and not for sharing among politicians.

Among the politicians and foot soldiers of Oshiomhole who fell to the new order, is ex-youth leader of the party, Osakpamwan Eriyo, who was remanded in prison for three months.

Tony Kabaka, who was seen as the leader of the youths in the state, was not spared in the new order, as he was removed as revenue collector on behalf of the state government.

Osakpamwan, who was also a revenue collector on behalf of the state government and the state chairman of the Road Transport Employee Association of Nigerian (RTEAN), lost his chairmanship position and the job as revenue collector.

The development was said to have angered Oshiomhole, as most of the party chieftains have continued to flood his house to seek assistance instead of meeting the governor to take care of them.

This development among many others some people believe must have accounted to why loyalists of the former governor who were able to secure party ticket and won election into the Edo State House of Assembly have become desperate to deal a decisive blow on the governor, who himself has shown determination not to allow such happen to him.

Getting tickets of the APC for the Assembly was a tug of war between the governor and the National Chairman of the party, even when they were both denying any love lost between,

this is because Obaseki wanted to have his loyalists populate the Assembly to secure his second term bid, while Oshiomhole is said to prefer his loyalists, a plot some say was the former governor’s move to stop Obaseki from getting the party’s ticket for a second term.

This development about who will produce candidates for the state assembly resulted in the cancellation of the initial primary election organised by the national body of the party and a fresh one was conducted.

Following the victory of the ruling party in the election into the state Assembly, the cold war has now shifted to the new State House of Assembly this has resulted in the uncoordinated activities regarding the inauguration and choice of leadership of the Assembly.

There are 24 members-elect in the assembly. Out of this number, 19 members-elect are said to be loyal to Oshiomhole, while the remaining six are loyal to Obaseki.

Oshiomole, it was gathered, is disposed to having Hon. Victor Edoror as Speaker, while Obaseki has opted for Frank Okiye, who he believes will serve his interest.

With the election of Okiye as the Speaker and the inability of the majority members of the House to access the Assembly and the non-inauguration of the Assembly has now attracted the interest of the National Assembly who are now threatening to take over the Assembly.

The development in Edo State has become very worrisome to many lovers of democracy, who are worried that for the second time thunder seem to be striking on the same spot.

In 2014, the Edo House of Assembly was engulfed in crisis. That crisis resulted in the emergence of two parallel leaderships that sat separately.

The crisis then was allegedly triggered by the ruling party at the national level at the time, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the Edo Government, led by Oshiomhole of the APC resisted the planned imposition of House leadership on the members.

During the crisis, the PDP faction sat at the Anthony Enahoro Assembly Complex, King’s Square, Benin City, while the government-backed faction sat at the old House of Assembly building, inside Government House, also in Benin.

The crisis was triggered by the suspension of the Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea, an APC member representing Esan South-East, and three other APC members who defected to the PDP.

They were suspended for alleged misconduct and violation of House rules after they lost the legal battle to stop the House from suspending them.

The four APC members who defected to the PDP teamed up to elect Mr Ebea as acting Speaker.

They also suspended the Speaker, Uyi Igbe, and six other APC members for alleged behaviour that brought the integrity of the House to serious disrepute.

The 15 APC legislators of the Uyi Igbe-faction relocated from the Anthony Enahoro Assembly complex at the King’s Square to the Old Assembly Chamber inside the Government House due to police restrictions at the complex.

The Edo Police Command, in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Noble Uwoh, said then that the police would not allow any faction of the lawmakers to gain entrance into the Assembly complex.

Nevertheless, the PDP lawmakers gained entry into the complex and had a plenary session with Festus Ebea presiding.

The lawmakers sat with the mace, the sergeant-at-arms and the clerk, where they re-validated the suspension of the eight APC members and formalised the election of the suspended Deputy Speaker as the acting Speaker.

The present crisis has led to accusations and counter accusations by the two factions in the crisis and the situation is not helping matters.

As the governor, Obaseki, has accused the national leadership of the APC of failing to properly investigate issues in the Edo State House of Assembly, which he alleged is the reason the crisis is lingering.

Obaseki told the Senate Committee set up to look into the Edo Assembly crisis which visited the state for its fact finding mission that there are issues within the legislature and they have gone to the judiciary as the constitution provides for clear separation of powers.

Governor Obaseki commended the Senate for deeming it fit to visit the state with a fact finding team to understand what happened, insisted that the crisis would not have degenerated if the leadership of the APC had done same when the matter started.

Obaseki stated that he has performed his constitutional duty by issuing a proclamation letter and that the Clerk of the House undertook the processes as deemed fit.

According to him, “When people arbitrarily make up their minds because of some predetermined outcomes and make statements and conduct themselves, this is what it leads to.

“I issued a proclamation. Consultations were held before the proclamation was issued. Various party organs met before decisions were reached. As far as I am concerned, I abide by the Constitution and issued a proclamation. I believe in separation of powers.

“Whatever the outcome, we expected that if a higher authority were concerned about the fate of this state, they would have called to see how to resolve the issue but that wasn’t done. The matter has moved to court and all parties are in court. I have done my own beat.

“Within the legislature, there are issues and they have gone to the judiciary and the constitution provides for clear separation of powers.

“We have evidence that people are under pressure. Look at this matter in the interest of our country and in defence of our democracy.”

However, when the Senate ad hoc committee investigating the crisis met with the lawmakers being supported by the national leadership of the APC at the Senate New Building, National Assembly Complex in Abuja, the story was different.

Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved members-elect at the meeting, Washington Osifo, member-elect representing Uhunwonde State Constituency, said they did not receive any communication from the Clerk on the inauguration.

While accusing the governor of “unleashing terror” on them using state apparatus, Osifo claimed that one of the lawmakers-elect has been kidnapped.

According to Osifo, the new lawmakers have been residing in Abuja for about one month now, even as he called on the Senate to intervene in the matter.

Among the members-elect at the meeting was Seidu Oshiomhole, younger brother to the APC National Chairman.

As the crisis continue to get messier, the House of Representatives, which had also set up a committee to investigate the root cause of the problem in the Edo State House of Assembly has asked the Governor Obaseki to issue a fresh and proper proclamation to convene the 9th House of Assembly in Edo State. It issued a seven-day ultimatum to the governor to carry out the order or risk the House taking over the Assembly.

But, this development did not go down well with some stakeholders in the state, as some residents in the state carried out what they termed solidarity protest at the Oba Ovboramwen king square in Benin over the House of Representatives’ call on Governor Obaseki to issue a fresh proclamation of the state’s House of Assembly or risk its takeover by the Federal House.

The protesters are saying that the House of Representatives does not have the power to give such order, arguing that there is already an existing interlocutory injunction from the Federal High Court sitting in Benin, which barred the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Services, DSS, APC NWC or their agents from disrupting Edo Assembly’s proceedings.

Also the Edo State Government has described the move by the House of Representatives to shut down the Edo State House of Assembly as unconstitutional.

In a statement in Benin City, Secretary to Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq., said that the Nigerian Constitution does not in any way stipulate that the House of Representatives or even the National Assembly has the right or power to shut down a State House of Assembly.”

He said 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.

“It has further not been alleged or concluded by anyone that the Edo State House of Assembly is unable to sit.

“In fact, whenever the ‘self-exiled’ members-elect so choose, they can join their colleagues in plenary in Benin City.

“Suffice it to say, however, that 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, in point of fact such power is expressly excluded by the Constitution,” the SSG said.

The state government further advised “those interested parties who sit in positions of authority in Abuja and are using their offices to influence the House of Representatives to take note that we all ultimately owe a debt of accountability to the good people of Edo State for our actions.

Ogie added: “We must state that the final verdict in this matter will ultimately be rendered by the good people of Edo State, for whose benefit Government exists. We are certain therefore that this illegality will not stand.”

Worried by this development the Oba of Benin, who is the chairman of the Edo State Council of traditional rulers, Oba Ewuare II, took it upon himself to seek the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter before it gets out of hand.

Oba Ewuare II along with many traditional rulers in the state paid a visit to the President in Aso Rock to solicit his intervention in the matter, a request to which the President was said to make him a promise to so do.

However, receiving the Senate ad hoc committee, investigating the assembly crisis, in his palace, Oba Ewuare II said the palace had intervened in the crisis in its own way and has left the crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly in the hands of God and the ancestors for resolution

He said, “We live it in the hands of God and the ancestors for now. We pray God and our ancestors to help us.

“We have intervened; the House of Representative was here last week and you are here now to help us resolve the issue. I pray that God and the ancestors should give you the wisdom to resolve the crisis and bring peace and unity,” he added.

While the development in the Edo State House of Assembly maybe more than what the eyes can see, many political watchers have expressed fears that it may disrupt governance in the state and that if the outcome is not properly managed the state may pay a huge price for it in terms of dividends of democracy.

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Whatever the outcome, we expected that if a higher authority were concerned about the fate of this state, they would have called to see how to resolve the issue but that wasn’t done. The matter has moved to court and all parties are in court. I have done my own beat.

Within the legislature, there are issues and they have gone to the judiciary and the constitution provides for clear separation of powers. We have evidence that people are under pressure. Look at this matter in the interest of our country and in defence of our democracy.