The Senate on Tuesday directed the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to issue a fresh proclamation for the inauguration of the Edo State House of Assembly within one week.
The Senate went further to state that the governor’s failure to carry out their instruction within a week, National Assembly should invoke its powers as contained in the constitution by taking over legislative functions of the Edo State House of Assembly.
The development followed the adoption of the report of the Senate ad hoc committee on the Edo State House of Assembly crisis, presented by the Chairman, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, the report stated that the state Governor brought ill motives to bear on the inauguration of the 7th Edo State house of Assembly which led to the crisis.
Th report noted that the Governor worked in connivance with the Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Yahaya Oloreigbe to shabbily inaugurate the house without the knowledge of all members.
He further explained that the committee met with all stakeholders including the Governor Obaseki, adding that the inauguration improperly took place around 9.30pm on 17 June, 2019 contrary to global best practices.
The panel said, there was no adequate publicity of the date of proclamation other than that, the clerk of the house pasted notices on the notice board which was not seen by all members-elect.
The panel asked that a fresh proclamation ritual be done by the state Governor or state Assembly risks section 11(4) which empowers the National Assembly to legislate for the state.
The Senate action was in line with the House of Representatives, which issued similar directives two weeks ago
