THE House of Representatives ad hoc committee probing the crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly learnt on Wednesday that each inaugurated member got N5 million.
A member, Washington Osifo, said: “The Edo State House of Assembly was, on June 17, illegally inaugurated.”
Another member, Christopher Okibe, described the sixth Edo House as a legislative embarrassment as it was an “appendage of the executive”.
“They even forced us to vote against our own autonomy,” he said.
The lawmakers came with evidences in 15 flash drives, documents, including screenshots of text messages from the governor, pictures, audio and video recordings for the committee.
They said because of the threat to their lives, they exiled themselves to the Federal Capital City.
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Committee Chairman Abdulrasak Namdas said though the House of Representatives has the constitutional powers to take over functions of the Edo House of Assembly, members felt there was need to seek the genesis of the problem and look at the possibility of reconciling the two factions.
The panel will be visiting the state to take testimony from the governor, as well as speak with the Commissioner of Police, among others. The committee will also visit the Oba of Benin.
The Senate yesterday constituted a seven-man investigative committee to probe the crisis.
Deputy Chief Whip Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi will head the panel.
If the committee establishes that the House is in a crisis, the National Assembly may take over its legislative functions. [THE NATION]
