With barely one and half years remaining for their tenure to end, the out of favour Edo House of Assembly members-elect, who were excluded from inauguration by Governor Godwin Obaseki during the inauguration of the State Assembly, over two years ago
have called on the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, to intervene in their case and prevail on the governor and his deputy, to come to their aid.
TheEdo Assembly had continued to sot with only 10 members since inauguration, following the refusal of the enstranged 14 to attend the Assembly s inaugural seating after their election in 2019 colleagues had been inaugurated on June 17, 2019.
The group in a petition, dated February 4, 2022 and signed by Rt. Hon. Victor Sabor Edoror, on behalf of the 14 All Progressives Congress, APC, members titled, ‘Re unlawful exclusion of 14 elected APC members of Edo State House of Assembly from parliamentary duty’ asked Ayu to use his good office to prevail on Obaseki and Shaibu to bring about their integration into Edo State House of Assembly
The group noted in their petition that they had earlier resorted to seek legal redress in their case with the governor, which the noted however that it did not yield any fruit, as the Edo State High Court has failed to hear the case till date for the third year running due to the influence of the the government (Governor Godwin Obaseki and Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu) through the then Solicitor General now Attorney General, Mr. Wole lyamu.
“Representations were severally also made to the National Assembly and members recommended that a proper inauguration be done, but all these were ignored by Governor Obaseki.
“The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was invited to use a legal opinion on the matter after which he wrote to the Inspector General of Police and relevant authority of the state, interpreting provisions of the Constitution and recommending that the inauguration of elected members of the House be conducted.” the out of favour lawmakers explained on the petition.
