By Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin
Two of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, legislators who were suspended from the Edo State House of Assembly, Kingsley Ehigiamusoe and Emmanuel Okoduwa, were Wednesday pardoned and their suspension lifted by their colleagues.
Both Ehigiamusoe and Okoduwa, Minority Whip and Minority Leader respectively in the House were suspended on July 8 for spearheading the holding of a parallel session of the Assembly.
The two lawmakers’ pardon was announced on Wednesday and they were allowed to attend the plenary session held at the old Assembly complex located inside the Government House
The session was presided over by Speaker Uyi Igbe and attended by the 13 All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers.
Igbe said that their pardon was in the spirit of Christmas and also announced the reinstatement of the two lawmakers as chairmen of the House committees on Judiciary and Arts and Culture respectively.
Shortly after the plenary, the Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu, at a press conference explained that the members had resolved to settle their differences and work together for the interest of the people of the state.
“We have decided to resolve our differences on our own. We have thrown away our differences for progress. You will observe that these two people were suspended because they decided to stay away from the House in solidarity with the PDP members who were suspended,” he stated.
“All those people drinking Panadol on another man’s problems will now go and rest, those external forces. We thank our Royal Father the Oba of Benin for all his advise. We have decided to resolve issues with these two lawmakers in the spirit of Christmas.” he stated further.
At its sitting on Wednesday, the House rejected the Local Government Autonomy,
which seeks to accord autonomy for local governments. Chairman on the Rules, Business and Government committee of the House, Phillip Shaibu, brought up the Local Government Autonomy Bill for consideration but the assembly, through a voice vote, voted against the section seeking full autonomy for local governments in the country.
The lawmakers’ action in rejecting full autonomy for council area administration sparked off a protest by local government workers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Union Local Government Employees, NULGE, and some civil society groups.
President of the Edo State chapter of NULGE, Edwards Elenikhena, said the lawmakers showed that by their action the legislators had shown that they were not working in the interest of the people.
“We want to remind them that February is another election and that our voters’ cards are with us. They have said no to the wishes of the people. They have exercised their own influence. We shall also exercise our own influence in February,” Elenikhena said.
“Our position is very clear. This is an election matter. I can speak on behalf of the civil society here present. We will mobilise the people; we will show them who their real enemies are.