Edo Assembly Inauguration Met Requirements – Speaker

Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Frank Okiye has said inauguration of the House of Assembly met all requirements of law.

Okiye, in a statement by his spokesperson, Comrade Aigbefo Iretiose, said: “The responsibility of the Edo State Governor, with regards to the inauguration of the House of Assembly, begins and ends with the issuance of a Proclamation Letter. Governor Obaseki duly issued the Proclamation Letter and the inauguration held at the House of Assembly.

“While the inauguration was ongoing, some of the members-elect left the venue of the news conference organised by some of them, and went to the House of Assembly, where they presented themselves for inauguration at 3:30pm.

“The House of Assembly is open to other members-elect who want to be inaugurated, just as Sunday Ojiezele and Emmanuel Okoduwa, who were inaugurated on Monday.

He advised the members-elect who have not been inaugurated to complete their documentation and present themselves for inauguration.

The State Police Command has urged aggrieved parties in the crisis to seek redress in a competent court of law.

A statement by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tunde Sunmonu, said the commissioner disapproved any form of procession for now, and advised any aggrieved party to seek redress in court.

The order follows a request by the Joint Action for the Advancement of Democracy in Edo (JAADE), for police patrol at a peaceful march to register its disappointment over “skewed” inauguration of the Assembly.

The leader, Comrade Aiyamenkhue Edokpolo, who addressed reporters after aborting the procession, called for “immediate and unconditional restoration of an ideal democratic order where proper inauguration of the 24 members-elect would be done”.

Edokpolo said the inauguration of only nine members was an assault on the people’s psyche. He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the House of Assembly reverts to the true dictates of the rule of law and nip any unforeseen breakdown of law and order in the bud.

According to Edokpolo, the installation of minority rule in the Assembly was uncivilized, barbaric and threat to democracy and peace.

“Political desperados should not be allowed to mar our democratic trajectory else we will regret the repercussions of our pseudo complacency. We condemn all the varying tendencies behind this impasse,” he added.