AS the muscle flexing between the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki rages, TAIWO AMODU underscores some of the inherent
EDO State lives with the sobriquet, The Heartbeat of the Nation. It is living up to it. Its pulsating sensation and attendant rhythmic beat of recent, constitute a cause for concern not only to citizens of the South-South state, but all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliations. The peace in the state can best be described as the one that resides in the grave yard.
The combatants this time are not outside the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. The sitting governor belongs to the ruling party at the centre, while all the elected lawmakers in the state assembly are equally members of the APC. But at the heart of the unnerving political impasse in the state is the power tussle between incumbent Governor, Godwin Obaseki and his estranged godfather and predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Despite initial denial of a cold war, both were called to a peace meeting facilitated by the governors elected on the APC platform, led by the governor of Ekiti State governor and chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi and a business mogul, AlhajiAlikoDangote.The peace deal has since broken down: the APC national chairman, Comrade Oshiomhole and the embattled governor have since returned to the trenches.
The beginning of the end…
Indication of a love lost between the APC national chairman and his political son became an open secret last June, following the tussle for the position of the Speaker of the State Assembly.
Findings revealed that Honourable Victor Edoror, the preferred candidate of Comrade Oshiomhole, lost the coveted seat of the Speaker to Honourable FrankOkiye (Esan North-East constituency I) the anointed candidate of Governor Obaseki.The Clerk of the Assembly, YahayaOmogbai, was said to have ushered the members-elect into the chamber at midnight and read out the letter of proclamation transmitted to his office by Governor Obaseki.
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At the inauguration were lawmakers believed to be loyal to Oshiomhole. The list included NosaOkunbor; Henry Okhuarobo; UyiEkhosuehi; Marcus Onobun; Ephraim Anebhosele; Roland Asoro; Eric Okaka;Okiye, and Idiaye who took oath of office.For the camp of the APC national chairman, who had been smarting for a showdown with governor Obaseki, the development was perceived as a serious setback as a victory for them at the election of speaker was meant to test the political waters ahead of 2020 governorship election.
Battle shifts to NASS, courtroom
Barely a week after the inauguration of the Edo Assembly, Comrade Oshiomhole had given indication that he was prepared for a fight with the governor of his home state.
Addressing party chieftains from Bauchi State, who had stormed the APC national secretariat in Abuja to protest over similar imposition of HonourableAbubakar Suleiman Ningi as speaker by 11 lawmakers loyal to the Bauchi State governor, BalaAbdulkadir Mohammed, in a 33-member parliament, Comrade Oshiomhole decried the emergence of HonourableOkiye in Edo State.
The APC chairman said Okiye’s victory was instigated by Governor Obaseki and said he was prepared to join forces with the aggrieved lawmakers against Governor Obaseki as he submitted that seven members could not elect speaker in a 24-member parliament.
Following the formal notice of the National Assembly by the aggrieved lawmakers in Edo, both chambers of the federal parliament had since passed resolutions squealing against the development and demanding for fresh proclamation from governor Obaseki. They separately issued an ultimatum to the Edo State governor with a threat to take over the operation of the state parliament.”
The Senate and the House of Representatives premised their resolutions on the findings of committees led by Senator Sabiu Aliyu Abdullahi and Honourable AbdulrazakNamdas for the respective chambers.The upper chamber in its resolution stated: “In the event that a new proclamation is not issued as recommended within the period of three weeks, the National Assembly is at liberty of invoke section 11, subsection 4 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).”
The red chamber constituted the committee following a Point of Order raised by Senator OpeyemiBamidele (APCEkiti Central) about the crisis rocking the State House of Assembly. The House of Representatives had, in its adopted report, threatened to take over the Edo Assembly over the crisis rocking it in line with Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
