Shola Oyeyipo in Abuja
The House of Representatives has called on Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to issue fresh Proclamation for the inauguration of the Edo State House Assembly.
The call followed the consideration of the recommendations in the report of the Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas-led ad-hoc committee set up to intervene in the lingering crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly.
The House also noted that all actions taken by the 7th Assembly Members should be declared null and void pending proper inauguration, threatening that where the governor refuses to comply with the recommendations, the National Assembly will not hesitate to invoke the provisions of Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to take over the State House of Assembly until the situation normalises.
Part of the recommendation reads that “The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, in the interest of peaceful co-existence 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, time 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.
“All members of the Edo State House of Assembly, both those who have been inaugurated and those who have not been inaugurated should dissolve their factions in the interest of peace and stability of the House with the view to moving the State forward.
“The Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Director General (DG), Department of State Service should shut down the Edo State House of Assembly and provide adequate security to allay further fears of intimidation and threat as alleged by members-elect.”
The lawmakers noted that “Where recommendations (i) (ii) and (iii) above fail, the National Assembly should invoke the Provisions of Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to take over the State House of Assembly until the situation normalises.”
