Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has warned the Senate against setting the state ablaze over its handling of the current crisis in the state’s House of Assembly.
Obaseki gave the warning while reacting to the directive issued by the Senate on Tuesday, asking him to issue a fresh proclamation for the inauguration of the 7th Edo State House of Assembly within one week.
The red chamber had also said if the governor failed to comply with the instructions, the National Assembly should invoke its powers as contained in the constitution by taking over legislative functions of the House of Assembly.
But the Edo governor noted that such move could be exploited by some powerful people to “set our state ablaze merely to satisfy their thirst for power and control”.
Speaking through a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, Obaseki said after the Senate’s resolution.
The governor said the Senate’s “move was not unexpected in the light of the enormous political pressure which had been brought to bear on the officers and members of the distinguished Senate by highly placed people who are intent on foisting their will and choices on the good people of Edo State”.
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He added, “This is borne out by the recorded statements made by one Seid Oshiomhole (a member-elect and younger brother of the National Chairman of the APC Adams Oshiomhole) wherein he boasted that both the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, had been instructed on what to do in this matter.”
Obaseki also said the Senate ad hoc committee that visited the state was informed about the suits on the crisis pending before various courts.
He said, “In suit No. FHC/PH/CS/159/2019, the National Assembly, the Clerk of National Assembly, the President of the Senate and Speaker of House of Representatives amongst others were specifically ordered by the Federal High Court to maintain the status quo as of July 25, 2019.
“The Edo State Government is further aware that in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/815/2019, wherein the Clerk and the National Assembly are defendants before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the National Assembly and the Clerk have not only been duly served with the processes but have entered appearance in the matter.
“We are also concerned that the members of the Senate appear to have very scant regard for the principle of separation of powers as enshrined in our constitution which is manifested by their taking over the functions of the judiciary in dispute resolution and giving directives to a governor who is certainly not subject to the supervision of the National Assembly.”
The governor added, “The state is not a colony or a vassal of any person or persons exercising power in Abuja and we shall take all necessary steps within the ambit of the law to defend and validate our position and actions on this matter.
“We call on all persons of goodwill to call the powerful wielders of ‘power and authority’ in Abuja and elsewhere to refrain from acts which are clearly unconstitutional, undemocratic and a flagrant disrespect for the principle of due process and separation of powers.
“These powerful persons should not be allowed to set our state ablaze merely to satisfy their thirst for power and control.”