Benin, Aug. 7, 2020
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo chapter has described as illegal, and unlawful the purported inauguration of 17 members elect of the Edo Assembly, on Thursday at a suspected private residence.
Dr Tony Aziegbemi, State Chairman of the party stated this on Friday in Benin, while briefing the media on the position of the party on the action of the members elect.
Aziegbemi said this was because there was a subsisting case on the matter before a Federal High Court.
He noted that until the matter in court was finalised, every action taken by the law makers remains illegal and unlawful.
He also said that as far as the party was concerned, the Edo Assembly had only 10 members, because that was the figure that was duly inaugurated after the proclamation by the Edo Government in line with the constitution.
He said that whatever reasons the 12 members elect refused to be inaugurated remains their problem, and as such they could not claim to be members of the Edo Assembly.
He also said that the 12 members elect and two others who were inaugurated but later joined the 12 un-inaugurated members have had their seats long declared vacant by Mr Frank Okiye, Speaker of the Edo Assembly, after they failed to sit for 180 days in line with the constitution.
He therefore described the action of the members elect as an illegality to truncate the peaceful democracy in the state which would not be allowed to stand.
He said that the party would pursue the action of the members elect legally and ensure that all those fingered in it were dealt with.
The party Chairman however said that while calling on the security agencies to arrest and prosecute those who tried to breach the peace in the state on Thursday, the action of the state commissioner for Police and the state Director for State Services (DSS) could not be said to be neutral.
Aziegbemi said this was because both security chiefs individually received the self inaugurated members on courtesy visit on Thursday.
He further said that the illegality in Thursday’s action was taken to new heights when the members elect said that the Speaker of the Assembly has been impeached.
He noted that a sitting Speaker cannot be impeached outside the premises of an Assembly.
He therefore urged the members elect as well as the Edo CP and Director of State Services to tender unreserved apologies to the people of the state.
