By Ayo Kehinde
Mr Victor Edoror, Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Mr John Kukoma and Mr Emmanuel Agbaje during a courtesy visit of the duo to Kukoma after they emerged ‘Speaker and deputy’ of Edo Assembly on Wednesday
The year-long power play between Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his predecessor and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday climaxed with the dramatic return of the Deputy Speaker, Victior Edoror, who was removed from office in 2018, as elected Speaker by a 12-member faction loyal to Oshiomhole.
Victor Edoror, who is from the Esan Central Constituency was immediately sworn-in to office at a location outside the Assembly alongside his Deputy Emmanuel Agbaje of Akoko Edo Constituency II, thus claiming to have removed Speaker Frank Okiye, who had had been leading the Assembly with only seven members, loyal to Obaseki.
But in an attempt to stop Edoror’s move to formally legitimize his new status on Friday by being sworn-in within the legislative chamber on Friday, by the Clerk of the House Audu Omogbai, who swore-in Okiye as factional Speaker alongside his other eight members, in June 2019, thugs, pretending to be artisans, gained entrance into the Assembly, went up to the roof and dismantled the mace hanging there while many other youths have mounted sentry at the complex, where truck loads of gravel has been pouring in yesterday, ostensibly to begin the renovation of the complex by the government.
Usually, the clerk usually carries out the mandate of inaugurating members after receiving a letter of proclamation from the governor, in this case Obaseki. But Obaseki, who hurriedly cut short his campaign in Edo North Senatorial District and came to Benin-City, the state capital, urging his supporters and member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to remain calm as things were under control, may not grant that approval. It is part of the supremacy battle for control of the soul of the state.
Seemingly unperturbed, Edoror hurriedly paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr John Kukomo, along with his deputy.
First sign of trouble started when Mr Yakini Idiaye, fDeputy Speaker to Okiye was removed from office after he gave his allegiance to Pastor Osagie Ize-Ityamu, APC governorship candidate in the September 19 governorship election. The APC, which had launched an offensive against the governor by luring government officials to its side since the campaign started, re-launched an earlier move to have some of its members inaugurated since June 2019, when the governor’s loyalists seized control of the Assembly, thus bringing to a head, the ongoing deadly power tussle between Governor Obaseki and Oshiomhole .
Policemen deployed from the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja to reinforce the Edo Command have take over the legislature even though their effectiveness is yet to be seen as thugs could walk freely into the complex, mount the roof top and broke the symbolic mace
In his reaction, Speaker of the House, Mr Frank Okiye, who had after the removal of Idaye on Wednesday and alerted the public to the alleged move by APC leaders in the state led by Governor of Imo State, Chief Hope Uzodinma, to bring a fake mace to take over the Assembly, said he and his 8 loyalists in the 24- member Assembly were ready to defend their mandate.
According to him: “The Edo State House of Assembly condemns any attempt to operate the House of Assembly Complex at Ring Road, currently undergoing renovation as the inaugurated members and the Rt. Hon. Speaker have relocated the House via a letter widely circulated to a new address at Dennis Osadebay Avenue,” he said in a statement.
“Any attempt to operate the House of Assembly Complex at Ring Road, amounts to an attempt to topple a constituted government which in turn amounts to an act of treason.
“Forceful entry into the premises amounts to trespass, being that the House members have suspended activities at the building; their action will amount to disturbance of public peace which is also an offense.”
APC Blames Gov Obaseki
The APC Head of the Media Campaign Council in a state, Mr John Mayaki blamed Governor Obaseki as the source of trouble. In a statement on Wednesday, Mayaki “It is a known fact that Governor Obaseki has treated the House of Assembly, an independent and co-equal branch of government, as a mere extension of his office through the brutalisation of members-elect and the denial of representation to the majority of members.
“In a Gestapo style, the outgoing governor hijacked a tiny minority and purportedly inaugurated them in the dead of the night. The sham inauguration was condemned and set aside by both arms of the National Assembly after their separate investigations revealed that the members, and indeed the Clerk, were forced to participate in the illegality under threat to life.
“With these criminal antecedents, we believe if there is any unwholesome activity ongoing at the Assembly complex, it is Mr Godwin Obaseki who is in the best position to explain to the world what is going on and why. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, or the APC, does not control the Police,” he said.
PDP Cries Foul
Mr Kola Ologbodinyan, PDP Natiobla Publicity Secretary during the press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday
The PDP in its own reaction blamed ruling APC for using its Abuja Might and Police to forcibly tale over the Assembly with the ultimate aim to checkmate the governor.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan said that “the invasion and illegal occupation of the state legislature by security agents allegedly deployed by sacked national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, was a direct coup against the democratic order of Edo state and a recipe for anarchy, chaos and bloodletting”.
He said “We urge the Inspector General to act with dispatch to curb this nefarious situation, which has heightened tension in the state, and if not halted, may results in a bloody clash as the citizens are already charged to defend their symbol of democracy from a forceful takeover.
“The Police hierarchy is urged to note that this provocative and lawless act by the APC is part of its plans to overheat the polity and create a security situation with the view to unleash violence on the people, derail the democratic order in the state and blame it on security agencies, said the PDP.
Mr Ologbondiyan said the PDP condemned this notorious resort to self help by the APC and their agents to forcefully takeover power in Edo state through the back door.
He said the PDP has been informed that the plot was to use the illegal security operation to seize the processes of the House of Assembly and illegally inaugurate certain individuals whose seats have been lawfully declared vacant with plans to use them to pull down democratic structure in the state.
“The PDP has also been made aware of grand plots by Oshiomhole, working in alliance with the impeached Deputy Speaker of the Edo state House of Assembly, to import a fake mace, cause anarchy and then push for the imposition of a state of emergency in the state, seeing that they cannot win the forthcoming governorship election.
“Our party therefore charges the IG to wade in and immediately withdraw the illegally deployed security officers and protect democracy and peace in Edo state” Mr Ologbondiyan stated.
The PDP said Nigeria could not afford to have a breakdown of law and order in Edo state at this critical time as such was capable of having a spiral effect on other states in the Niger Delta region, which would further result in dire consequences to the nation and restated its call to President Muhammadu Buhari to caution Adams Oshiomhole before he triggers a serious crisis in this country 2020
INEC Threatens to Suspend Edo and Ondo Poll
Meanwhile the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it will suspend the Edo and Ondo governorship election process if the actions of political actors led to a breakdown of law and order.
Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, announced this on Thursday in Abuja after a meeting where stakeholders deliberated on a number of issues, including preparations for the elections.
Okoye said that the commission had observed with deep concern, the escalating levels of violent actions and incendiary statements by political parties, candidates and their supporters, in the run up to the elections.
“These actions include destruction of opponents’ campaign materials such as billboards, violent campaigns and use of offensive language.
“It is important for political parties, candidates and their supporters to keep in mind that there are extant laws and regulations that must be adhered to, during campaigns.
“The commission will not shirk its responsibility to enforce the rules of the game.
“Consequently, parties and candidates must, on no account, underestimate the resolve of the commission to enforce the rules and regulations and apply appropriate sanctions against those who choose to break them.
“The commission remains determined to conduct peaceful elections in the two states and in the outstanding National and State Assembly bye-elections.”
He said that with the pandemic taking its toll on the citizenry, the people of Edo and Ondo states must be saved from the added burden of violent and raucous elections.
“Political parties must remember that Edo and Ondo governorship elections have strict constitutional and statutory timelines and threats of violence or actual violence can disrupt those timelines and create a constitutional crisis.
“The commission will continue to engage stakeholders in the two states on the need for free, fair, safe and peaceful elections, given that it has committed enormous public resources in preparing for them.
“The commission will view gravely, any disruptive actions by political actors,” he warned.
“Regulatory agencies with roles in the elections, especially those dealing with insecurity, hate speech and abuse of mass media, must step up their activities and ensure that people caught breaking the law were held to account,” he said.
Atiku Calls for Maintenance of Statuu Quo
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar also expressed his views concerning evolving events in Edo State in his Social media handles.
He said in his twitter handle; “Nigeria has been on the edge due to the brinkmanship of those charged with the constitutional leadership. We must, as a nation, not escalate the already tense atmosphere in our polity.
“What is happening in Edo State is a threat to constitutional order nationwide, and I strongly urge belligerent forces to reign in their proxies, and abide by the rule of law.
“As I have previously said, without the rule of law, there will be no rule at all.
The current goings-on portend grave danger, not only to law and order in that state, but to the coming Edo elections.
“The people of Edo state should be allowed to choose who they wish to govern them, and that choice is to be made on September 19, 2020. Pending then, everything legally possible must be done to preserve the status quo.”
As things stand, it would take providence to halt the slide into anarchy and violence unless the police and other security agencies remain neutral and provide security for the electorate to vote unmolested and the INEC to conduct a fair and peaceful poll
