Oshiomhole, reps and Edo people

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Written by Leon Usigbe

[Adams Oshiomhole] Leon Usigbe writes on the recent motion by the House of Representatives on the political crisis in Edo State and posits that it is time for Governor Oshiomhole to think less about his opponents and focus on the job at hand.

A dramatic phase of the ongoing political crisis in Edo State played out last week on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Some angry members of the House from the state had dragged the issue before other members of the lower chamber of the National Assembly, where the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole came under severe pummelling for allegedly sacking some local government chairmen as well as influencing the removal of the leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Honourable Zakawanu Garba. The members, led by a former speaker of the state legislature, Hon. Friday Itulah, sponsored a motion which they tagged “Grave threat to democracy in Edo State.”

This was after a previous attempt to discuss the matter in the House at the instance of the Majority Leader, Hon, Tunde Akogun, himself from Edo, was aborted because it was deemed not to have been properly presented.

Apart from Itulah, other Edo lawmakers who co-sponsored the motion included Abbas Braimah, Patrick Ikhariale, Ifaluyi Isibor and Johnson Aigbudu Abolagba. The name of the Majority Leader of the House, Tunde Akogun who was one of the initial sponsors of the motion disappeared on the Order Paper without any explanation.

The Edo members were able to solicit and obtain the support of many other lawmakers from different parts of the country to join them in the sponsorship of the motion.

These included Bala Ibn Na’Allah, Festus Wale Adegoke, Aminu Shehu Shagari, Jerry Manwe, Bassey Otu, E.O. Adedeji, Wole Oke, Muhammed Sani Abdu, Okey Udeh, Alaba Ojomo, Adamu G. Kalba, Yakubu Ibrahim, Emmanuel Jime, Chille W. Igbawua, Ihiabe S. Positive, Nnana Uzor Kalu, Umaru I. Kura, Dino Melaye, Kolawole Ismaila, Chukwuma Umeoji, Chuka A. Nwauwa, Bala Barnabas, Abdul Ningi, Rufus Omeire, Depo Ologunagba.

Honourable Melaye was to announce the withdrawal of his name as one of the sponsors while its debate was raging in the chamber.

Those behind the motion wanted the House to appreciate the fact that Governor Oshiomhonle was a beneficiary of the court process which led to his emergence as Edo State Chief Executive but that since his coming into office, he had engaged in anti democratic actions, sacking officials elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and replacing them with members of his party, the Action Congress (AC).

That, in their estimation, rubbished the rule of law and due process which brought him into office. They averred that the governor had arbitrarily suspended and removed three local government chairmen including that of Oredo, Akoko-Edo and Orhiownwon in spite of court orders restraining him.

To them, this was in utter breach of the Edo State Local Government Law, 2000 as amended 2006. Furthermore, they pointed out to the House that the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly were removed without their opponents securing the mandatory 2/3 majority of a 24 member house which equals 16 members contrary to the provisions of section 92 (2) of the 1999 constitution.

They were also worried that the undemocratic tendency of the governor could be replicated in other states with its attendant consequences of derailing the nation’s nascent democracy.

Similarly, the sponsors of the motion feared that this descent into a state of lawlessness in Edo State had given rise to vices as reign of thugs and a total state of insecurity has enveloped the state.

Itulah, who was the chief proponent of the motion was vehement in his argument that if allowed to stand, what was happening in Edo State could assume the dimension of the crisis in the old Western Region which led to the first coup d’état in the country and consequently, a civil war.

The sponsors therefore wanted the House to deprecate the undemocratic actions of Governor Oshiomhonle and urge him to comply with the provisions of Edo State Local Government Law by reversing the suspension and removal of elected chairmen.

They also wanted the House to direct the Inspector General of Police and Director of State Security Services (SSS) of the state to investigate the alleged forgery of signatures of some Honourable members in the attempt to forcefully remove the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.

The motion elicited adverse response from some members of the House who argued that it would amount to meddlesomeness in the affairs of the state if the debate on it was allowed to go on.

Surprisingly, the strongest opposing voices came from other Edo members of the House and members of the PDP whose interest the motion sought to protect.

All nine Edo members of the House were elected under the PDP but from the way Ehioge West Idahosa of Ovia North East/South West Federal Constituency and Patrick Obahiagbon of Oredo Federal Constituency attacked the motion, it could easily be deduced where their sympathy now lies.

Along with Samson Osagie of Orhiowmwon Uhumwode Federal Constituency, they are thought to be very close to the point of ditching the PDP for the AC whose tsunami has virtually overrun their constituencies. Without this, they risk the chance of re-election.

But in spite of their best efforts to have the motion jettisoned, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Dimeji Bankole was steadfast in his determination to allow it to be heard and with the majority of the members lining behind the motion, its prayers were carried to the consternation of the governor.

A livid Governor Oshiomhole wasted no time in firing back at the House which he observed had succumbed to the machinations of PDP strongman, Chief Tony Anenih.

The governor has spoken a number of times about the origin of his problems in the governance of the state, laying it squarely at the doorsteps of “Mr. Fix It” who he said was hell bent on emasculating his administration for selfish motives.

Only recently, he lamented that Chief Anenih had attempted to dictate to him which projects he should undertake in the state and which ones he should not. This is not minding the fact that he, rather than Chief Anenih, was the elected governor of the state.

The governor was to say his failure to carry out the wish of the political godfather was the beginning of his problems but as the chief executive of the state he was committed to his vow to commit Chief Anenih to political history in Edo State.

However, he seemed to be worried that he was now perceived as an emerging dictator, despite the democratic credentials he posses or the populist agenda he professed.

The House of Representatives’ resolution has not helped but has further highlighted the political instability that his emergence as governor has engendered in Edo State. His engagement with Chief Anenih is growing into an obsession such that he blames any impediment in the actualization of his objectives on the Iyasele of Esanland whether Chief Anenih has a hand in it or not.

It is in this light that his allegation that the House of Representatives had fallen for the manipulations of the PDP chieftain must be seen. Even though members of the PDP are in the majority in the House, it is unthinkable that they would dance to the tunes of a fast fading party chieftain who may careless about the thinking of the lawmakers on his local Edo political questions.

The people of Edo State perhaps rank among some of the most unlucky and badly treated individuals in the present democratic dispensation. After a woeful eight years under Chief Lucky Igbinedion, Edo State could do with the resuscitation of their much decayed infrastructure, jobs for their teeming unemployed, affordable healthcare services and quality education.

With the proper attitude, there is no reason why Oshiomhole could not have succeeded even if his political party had no majority in the state House of Assembly.

If indeed he has gone the extra mile to wrest the majority of the state legislature from the PDP through less than democratic means just so he could have his way in the legislature at will and also strip local government chairmen of their positions because they have not kowtowed to him, it puts his democratic populist credentials to question.

Political godfatherism is a fact of life that cannot be wished away. It is present at all levels of government in this country and will remain so as long as they have the money, the influence and the necessary contacts to place people into positions whether elective or appointive.

Governor Oshiomhole needs to worry less about what Chief Anenih may be thinking in order to retain focus on delivering the electoral promises he made to the people of Edo State.

LOL at the picture

can someone explain what's happening in Edo?
no unneeded insults please

Ikengawo:

LOL at the picture

can someone explain what's happening in Edo?
no unneeded insults please

my bro, the guy don turn DON ready to unleash terror to the people of EDO Birth

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The idiots in the house of reps, where were they wen Lucky was runnin d state aground Itulah was d rubber stamp in d state assembly 4 all d worthles Igbinedion budgets, if he likes he shld set Edo ablaze nd wait 4 a coup detat he won't get anythin lik dat.

Anenih is d grand idiot who wants Edo 2 remain underdevelooed I only wonda y wicked nd useless pple like him don't just die early nd let us b in peace Edo wld hav bin a better place if only his mother had menstrated him or beta still had him as a still birth.


The local govts we are talkin abt wat hav they contributed 2 their LGAs, if Oshiomole cld arrange a strike force to assasinate all those chairmen Edo wld be on d path 2 greatness, they want 2 blackmail d man 2 do their biddin.


U may wonda y I'm talkin lik dis, is because I'm frm Edo nd Anenih is frm my side of d state nd weneva I c his face I fil lik vomitin, he is a complete disgrace nd Oshiomole is doin his best to move d state forward.