Edo Assembly crisis: APC group appeals for ethos, legitimacy

Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
An All Progressives Congress (APC) group under the auspices of Joint Action for the Advancement of Democracy in Edo (JAADE), has appealed for the enthronement of ethos and legitimacy in the crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly.
In a statement signed by the Organising Secretary, Lukeman Momoh, the group expressed disappointment at the mismanagement of the dominance and control of Edo Assembly by the APC.
The group urged APC and its national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole to escalate the necessary interventions in the circumstance to restore sanity and enthrone legitimacy in the Edo State House of Assembly.
“We have watched with dismay, the lingering crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly, which was precipitated by the improper inauguration of the House on the night of Monday, June 17, 2019.
“That the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, purportedly encouraged the circumvention of the legislative due process of proper convening, inauguration, election of presiding officers and swearing-in of members is a matter of fact.
“The aftermaths of the governor’s alleged interference in the affairs of the state legislature are the emergence of his anointed candidate, Frank Okiye, who was elected at the controversial inauguration attended by only nine of the 24 members of the exclusive APC caucus in the House and the lingering crisis.
“After much intimidation and harassment through the use of state machinery to coerce the other members to present themselves for swearing-in, we have noticed the continued refusal by no fewer than 14 members to submit to an illegitimate House of Assembly.
“It is about six weeks now and the crisis has yet to be resolved despite interventions at different levels – royal, presidential and federal legislative interventions. The crisis must not be allowed to fester as it affects the smooth operations of the House of Assembly.
“We note in particular the decision of the House of Representatives calling on Governor Godwin Obaseki to issue a fresh proclamation for the proper inauguration of the Edo State House of Assembly, the extended deadline to do so; otherwise, the National Assembly will take over the running of the Edo Assembly.
“While the concurrence of the Senate, whose ad hoc committee’s investigation report is yet to be submitted for further legislative action, is being awaited, we wish to express our disappointment at the mismanagement of the dominance and control of Edo Assembly by the APC.
“The APC and its national chair, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole must double down and escalate the necessary interventions in the circumstance to restore sanity to and enthrone legitimacy in the Edo State House of Assembly.
“APC under Oshiomhole’s leadership cannot afford to allow the current undemocratic situation in the Edo Assembly to prevail. It discounts his position as national chair and queries the morality of APC’s intervention under his leadership in Bauchi State House of Assembly crisis where a similar situation has happened under the superintendence of Governor Bala Mohammed.
“The APC leadership, under Oshiomhole, must replicate the democratic exemplars in the inauguration of the Senate and the House of Representatives where the party lobbied for support for its candidates to emerge as senate president and speaker in a legally-convened and inaugurated federal legislature that witnessed proper election.
“Until the APC leadership resolves the logjam in favour of propriety and legislative due process, the Edo Assembly debacle will remain a huge joke on it and Comrade Oshiomhole who, incidentally, is an indigene of the state and a critical stakeholder,” the statement read.