Assembly speaker: How Obaseki ambushed Oshiomhole

The emergence of  Governor Godwin Obaseki  preferred candidate as speaker of  Edo State 7th  Assembly  against the wish of  his estranged “godfather”, and National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, may have opened another chapter in the crisis rocking the  party ahead of the State’s 2020 governorship poll.  Patrick Ahanor reports.

10pm inauguration

The time was 10pm on Monday June 17 at Edo state House of Assembly complex and the gathering was not a meeting of night guards or Pentecostal vigils. It was the inauguration of the 7th assembly of the state House of Assembly.

Circulated video clips from the inauguration showed that the exercise was devoid of the usual long speeches, spouses and family relatives of members-elect.

A handful of residents and journalists learned of the proclamation midnight while many woke up the next morning and were greeted with the news of the inauguration on social media and a press statement from the government media handlers.

9 members inaugurated

Only 9 members-elect believed to be loyal to Governor Godwin Obaseki of the 24 members-elect reportedly showed up for the oath taking/inauguration ceremony.

Those present included;  Hon. Nosa Okunbor; Hon. Henry Okuarobo; Hon. Uyi Ekhosuehi; Hon. Marcus Onobun; Hon. Ephraim Anehbosele; Hon. Roland Asoro; Hon. Eric Okaka; Hon Frank Okiye and Hon Yekini Idiaye.

The Clerk, Alhaji Audu Yahaya Omogbai was said to have ushered the members-elect into the chamber and read out the letter of proclamation transmitted to the office of the clerk by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

After reading the letter, the clerk proclaimed the house and the members-elect began the process of electing the House leadership, with Rt Hon Frank Okiye of Esan North East constituency I, emerging the speaker, while Hon Yekini Idiaye of Akoko Edo constituency I, emerged deputy speaker.

Upon completion of the process of swearing-in, the speaker, Rt Hon Okiye took charge of proceedings and thanked all members-elect present for the confidence reposed in him, and pledged to work for the people of Edo state.

He also called on “members-elect, who have not satisfied the process of swearing-in”, which includes the completion of the asset declaration form, to do so speedily so they could be inaugurated to undertake the task for which the people elected them.

Okiye also declared that the lines of communication with the executive arm of government and all other organs of government officially open.

The controversies

The inauguration of the 24-member House (all APC) had drew controversy after its scheduled date on June 7, was botched over the inability of the governor to transmit proclamation letter to the clerk.

The controversies clearly no thanks to the supremacy battle for the control of the state political structure between immediate past governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole and his benefactor Governor Godwin Obaseki. It is, therefore, a re-occurrence of the godfather-godson conflict, which has been the trend in Nigeria’s political scene.

While the governor was said to be backing a former majority leader of the assembly, Frank Okiye, ex-speaker, Victor Edoror representing Esan Central reportedly have the blessings of Oshiomhole.

It was gathered that the odds had favoured Edoror after 19 out of the 24 incoming legislators-elect attended a meeting called by Oshiomhole, a development analysts believe could have dealt a huge political blow to the governor’s re-election ticket on the platform of the APC.

Pyrrhic numerical strength 

And buoyed by the numerical strength, the 19 pro-Oshiomhole members-elect at a media briefing earlier last Monday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on Obaseki to immediately issue the letter of “proclamation to enable the state assembly to function and avoid serious constitutional crisis”.

Besides, the group in a statement read by Washington Osifo said: “Whereas the governor by virtue of section 105 (3) is constitutionally required to immediately issue a letter of proclamation for inauguration of the new assembly to avoid vacuum”. 

According to him, “all other states of the federation have inaugurated theirs, but Obaseki has deliberately refused to allow the house of assembly to function.

“And it is public knowledge that all the members-elect in Edo state are all of the same political party, APC,” Osifo said.

Twist in the tail

However, the political logjam experienced a twist after three of the 19 pro-Oshiomhole members-elect, who had joined the press briefing Monday afternoon, showed up at the mid-night inauguration.

The trio, Messers, Eric Okaka, Uyi Ekhoesuehi and Ephraim Anehbosele, were evidently must have made the dramatic u-turn after some alleged deal was reached with the governor’s camp.

Love gone sour

Signs that the “godfather, godson”  relationship between the APC national chairman Adams Oshiomhole and his benefactor, Godwin Obaseki may be drifting apart occurred during the party’s last primaries election for the February/March general polls.

Though Oshiomhole and Obaseki hailed from Edo North and South respectively, however the governor and his loyalists were specifically not comfortable with his predecessor’s interference on who flies the party’s ticket in Obaseki’s Edo South.

The disagreement reportedly led to the cancellation of the state’s primaries held on October 4th 2018 by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

A statement by the then Acting publicity secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabane, had described the exercise supervised by Obaseki and the state’s leadership of the party as unauthorised, and therefore rescheduled the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly primary elections under the chairmanship of Farida Suleiman.

It was learnt that the NWC decision was seen in the governor’s political camp as a ploy to weed out aspirants suspected to be loyal to Obaseki.  

Notwithstanding, both men were said to have managed their disagreement internally in order not to jeopardized the party’s chances at the polls.

Elections bred conflicts

However, the party’s woeful outing especially in governor Obaseki’s Edo South senatorial district during the presidential/NASS election was said to have led to blame trading.

To this end, a group believed to be loyal to Oshiomhole under the aegis of Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), then vowed to stop the governor from securing the party’s re-election ticket in order to save it from extinction.

Membership of the group include the immediate past Attorney-General of the State, Henry Idahagbon, ex-minority whip at the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie, and former youth leader of the party, Osakpamwan Nomoless.

Nonetheless, the governor has repeatedly attributed the defeat to religious belief/voting pattern of the electorates, and afterwards led the party to clinch all the 24 contested seats at the state assembly.

With the midnight inauguration and other unfolding drama in the battle for the soul of the state, no one can tell for now what would happen the next morning!

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