NASS to take over Edo state house of assembly

Chidi Samuel|

The house of representatives on Wednesday adopted the recommendation of the ad-hoc committee it set up to look into the crisis rocking Edo state house of assembly and has asked Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, to shut the Edo state house of assembly and provide adequate security for members.

The National Assembly will also take over the functions of the assembly if governor Godwin Obaseki and members of the 7th Edo House fail to meet three conditions.

The Abdulrasak Namadas ad hoc committee recommendation on the crisis was adopted by the house on Wednesday.

The members recommended that “the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, in the interest of peaceful coexistence of the state, should issue a fresh Proclamation within one (1) week in line with section 105(3) of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, stating the date ,and venue and publish in any Nation daily and television station..

It also recommended that all actions taken by the 7th Assembly members should be declared null and void pending proper inauguration.

Thirdly, “that members of the Edo State House of Assembly, both that have been inaugurated and those who have not been inaugurated should dissolve their faction in the interest of peace and stability of the House, with the view of moving the state forward.

Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and Godwin Obaseki, governor of the state, are engaged in a battle for the control of the state assembly.

Nine lawmakers loyal to governor Obaseki in June were inaugurated under controversial circumstances, a move that was rejected by the 15 lawmakers loyal to Oshiomhole.

The house of representative subsequently mandated a 13-man panel headed by Abdulrazak Namdas to probe the crisis and make recommendations.

The house adopted the recommendations, saying if nothing positive comes out of it, the national assembly shall invoke section 11(4) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) to take over the state assembly pending the time the crisis is resolved.