Obaseki, Oshiomhole’s feud stalls proclamation of 7th Assembly

The feud between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has stalled the proclamation of the 7th Edo State House Assembly.

All the 24 lawmakers elected to the Edo Assembly are members of the All Progressives Congress.

Some lawmakers-elect to the 7th Assembly have expressed reservations over the date fixed for their inauguration.

The 6th Assembly ended last week with the former Speaker, Hon Kabiru Adjoto adjourning sitting sine die.

Checks showed that only eight lawmakers were re-elected to the 7th Assembly while 16 new lawmakers are to be inaugurated.

Sources said the battle within the ranks of the Edo APC has shifted to the Assembly as both sides plot to control majority of the lawmakers.

There was however heavy security presence at the gate of the Assembly complex.

Many APC supporters who had gone to witness the inauguration were turned back

State Secretary of the Edo APC, Mr. Lawrence Okah said they were waiting for a letter of proclamation from Governor Obaseki as instituted in the law.

A top government official said there was no breach of the law, “Is there a law that says it must be on a particular day? They should go and read the constitution. Did it say every state must inaugurate its assembly the same day. That is not the position. It is when the governor writes and proclaim it that it is inaugurated and it is only the governor that can do it. Our own will either be Friday or Monday.”

It was gathered that Oshiomhole is pushing for Victor Edoror to be made Speaker while Governor Obaseki preferred Frank Okiye.

Both Okiye and Edoror hail from Edo Central where the position of Speaker is supposedly zoned to.

One of the newly elected lawmaker said the unresolved issues between Oshiomhole and Obaseki was responsible for the delayed proclamation of a new Assembly.