The House of Representatives may be poised to take over the affairs of the Edo State Assembly following the intractable crisis that hit the legislative house on June 17, 2019, according to reports from Abuja.
One of the reports, on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, by Daily Independent, said that this followed a motion under matters of urgent public importance brought by Hon. Julius Ihonvbere calling attention to the need to correct constitutional breach by the government of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“Members speaking on the matter roundly condemned what they described as “executive rascality” demonstrated by the state governor who allegedly inaugurated 9 out of 24 members at about 10 pm without properly issuing the executive proclamation,” the report said.
The lawmakers had prayed the House to take over the affairs of the Assembly pending the resolution of the crisis.
The prayer of the motion had read, “That the National Assembly, in line with the provisions of Section 11 (4) of the Constitution, take over the affairs of Edo State House of Assembly and ensure the proper inauguration of the House, with the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General, State Security Services, providing the necessary security for the 24 members-elect to be sworn in as expected and required by the Law.”
After the debate on the matter, the House however unanimously resolved that a panel be set up to probe into the circumstances surrounding the inauguration and election of the Speaker of the Assembly at odd hours, with nine members in attendance.
After adopting the motion, the Speaker, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, set up a probe panel led by the immediate past spokesman for the House and former speakership aspirant, Mr Abdulrazak Namdas, to investigate the Edo Assembly crisis.
