A fresh crisis is reportedly looming in the Edo State House of Assembly as the impeached Deputy Speaker of the house, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie has reportedly refused to let go of the official vehicles attached to her former office as the Deputy Speaker before she was stepped down.
The House had following her impeachment ordered her to return the vehicles to the new principal officers but she was reported to have claimed that the cars were given to her by the former state governor, Adams Oshiomhole as gifts.
Recall that Dr. Justin Okonoboh representing Igueben constituency was on Monday impeached alongside the Deputy Speaker, Ativie, by 19 out of the 24 members of the House.
The clerk of the House in the letter of reminder minuted to Ativie dated August 16, 2017, had directed Ativie to return the official vehicles and hand the keys over to him, however, Ativie, representing Uhunmwonde Constituency claimed the vehicles comprising a 2016 Lexus jeep, one Prado jeep and two Hilux vans were given to her as gifts for personal use.
The only female lawmaker in the house through her lawyer stated: “After the vehicles were given, our client went to the licence office with the said letter and registered the vehicles in her name. In the exercise of her bona fide right of ownership, our client has sold one of the vehicles (Lexus jeep, 2016 model).”