THE National Assembly (NASS) on Wednesday ordered Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Yusuf Magaji, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), to shut down the Edo State Assembly and provide suitable security measures over alleged threat to the members-elect.
The House of Representative members also issued three conditions to the State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki and the state assembly to comply with, otherwise, it would taking over responsibilities of the state lawmakers.
Among the conditions given to Obaseki is to announce a new day for the inauguration of the Edo Assembly.
The conditions are: “The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, in the interest of peaceful coexistence of the state, should issue a fresh Proclamation within one (1) week in line with section 105(3) of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, stating the date, and venue and publish in any National daily and television station.
“That all actions taken by the 7th Assembly members should be declared null and void pending proper inauguration.
“That members of the Edo State House of Assembly, both that have been inaugurated and those who have not been inaugurated should dissolve their faction in the interest of peace and stability of the House, with the view of moving the state forward…”
The resolution, according to reports, was part of the recommendations of the House of Representatives 13-member ad hoc committee on the Edo crisis, chaired by Abdulrasak Namdas and adopted by the House for consideration.
The Edo State Assembly has been in the news over the controversial inauguration of the state lawmakers-elect, and particularly, the Speaker.
About 48 hours after the ad hoc committee was set up, two All Progressives Congress interest groups, the Owan Renaissance and the Etsako Solidarity Front (ESF) accused the committee of being bias, stressing that the committee’s trip to Edo State was sponsored by one person.
But Namdas denied the claim with an assurance of the committee’s neutrality.
Despite that all the 24 lawmakers are from the APC, the rift between the governor and the APC Chairman, Adams Oshiomole also played out in the drama.
Seidu Oshiomole, one of the members-elect, believed to be related to the party chairman was also caught allegedly on tape reacting to how the 15 lawmakers-elect who opposed the state assembly inauguration are being funded in Abuja.
Olugbenga heads the Investigations Desk at The ICIR. Do you have a scoop? Shoot him an email at [email protected]. Twitter Handle: @OluAdanikin