House Of Reps Wade Into Edo Assembly Crisis, Set Up Probe Panel

The House of Representatives has resolved to intervene in the crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly, setting up an ad hoc committee to investigate the matter.

The resolution was reached at the plenary on Tuesday after the adoption of a motion moved by three members from Edo State, Messrs Julius Ihonvbere, Peter Akpatason, and Johnson Oghuma.

The lawmakers had prayed the House to take over the affairs of the Assembly pending the resolution of the crisis.

The prayer of the motion had read, “That the National Assembly, in line with the provisions of Section 11 (4) of the Constitution, take over the affairs of Edo State House of Assembly and ensure the proper inauguration of the House, with the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General, State Security Services, providing the necessary security for the 24 members-elect to be sworn in as expected and required by the Law.”

After the debate on the matter, the House however unanimously resolved that a panel be set up to probe into the circumstances surrounding the inauguration and election of the Speaker of the Assembly at odd hours, with nine members in attendance.

Moving the motion, Ihonvbere partly said, “The House notes with concern the improper, clandestine and nocturnal inauguration of the 7th Edo State House of Assembly on the 17th of June, 2019, wherein nine out of 24 members-elect were purportedly sworn in without the knowledge of the other 15 members-elect.

After adopting the motion, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, set up a probe panel led by the immediate past spokesman for the House and former speakership aspirant, Abdulrazak Namdas, to investigate the Edo Assembly crisis.

According to him, the findings by the panel will determine the next action by the House.