Edo: Oshiomhole, Obaseki Faceoff Stalls Inauguration Of House Of Assembly

The face off between All Progressives Congress, APC national chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State is stalling the inauguration of the Eight State House of Assembly, multiple sources in the state have said.

Despite winning all 24 seats, the APC is yet to come to an agreement on the choice of principal officers for the new legislature.

The assembly was expected to have been inaugurated last Monday, but as at the moment the proclamation has not been transmitted from the governor to the clerk of the House.

A meeting by party elders to smoothen the issue was held on Friday but the meeting was said to have agreed on the distribution of positions with Edo Central getting the position of Speaker. The governor is from Edo South while his deputy, Philip Shuaibu is from Edo North.

GWG gathered that two candidates have emerged for the position of Speaker, Victor Edoror, Esan Central and Frank Okiye, Esan North East 1.

Edoror a former Speaker who was impeached is trying to stage a comeback and is said to have the support of the camp of Oshiomhole. Okiye it was gathered has the support of the governor.

He, however, is yet to get the support of the majority of members-elect, a development that may have stalled the transmission of the proclamation to the clerk.

Many members-elect are said to be peeved that the governor did not help them with financial support during the election as against the support received from the camp of Oshiomhole.

One source said that by Monday that a definitive position on the issue would have emerged.

The internal crisis in the APC at the weekend drew the attention of a Benin based activist, Osademe Lucyiano as he charged the governor to do the needful.

He said: “the Governor, who praised himself for breaking the records of his
predecessors by scoring 24/24 in the state legislative arm during the just concluded election held on March 8th, 2019 is now withholding the
proclamation for inauguration.
“As no government exists in a vacuum, Governor Godwin Obaseki’s
abdication, in this case, has cast deep thought on the minds of the
people as to why the Governor is withholding the proclamation for the
inauguration of the 7th Assembly.”

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