3rd June, 2011
The struggle over who becomes the speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly that will commence its new parliamentarian year on Monday, 6 June 2011 is heating up the political atmosphere in the state to the extent that the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole and traditional rulers have reportedly waded into the political fray.
In a related development a group called Esan Good Governance has issued a press release titled “A Threat to the Peaceful Co-existence and Stability in Edo State†which was jointly signed by PJD Agboinfioror and Comrade Olumhense Akhigbe, chairman and secretary respectively.
In the statement, the group urged the House Assembly to respect Chapter II, Sections 14 and 15(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that deal with equal representation of the people.
“That when the speaker is wrongly given to someone outside Edo Central Senatorial District, it means that Edo Central is no more regarded as a part of Edo State. If this is done it is unjust, un-parliamentary and unacceptable,†the group said.
Despite these threats the political maradonas in the state have succeeded in allocating the speakership to Edo South and from the information available to P.M.NEWS, Honourable Uyi Igbe is the next speaker of the incoming House of Assembly while Hon. Festus Ebea, a newcomer from Edo Central will be the Deputy Speaker.
This development has not gone well with the Edo Central who felt cheated and has threatened to give Edo South a good fight until the speakership is returned to the Central District of the state. The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, which is the ruling party in the state, has tried to diffuse the tension so as to allow for peaceful take-off the House on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Edo South blamed Edo Central for the change in the political equation in the state due to the poor showing of ACN in Edo Central during the last election where the PDP cleared the polls, leaving only one House of Assembly seat for the ACN.
—Yomi Obaditan/ Benin City