The battle between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) over Edo and Ekiti States shifted to the National Assembly yesterday as the House of Representa-tives passed a resolution asking the Minister of Finance and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to immediately stop statutory allocations to the states.

The lower chamber of the parliament said the funds blockade should remain until the governors of the two states reverse their separate decisions unilaterally dissolving the local government councils in their states.

However, ACN has described the House resolution as unconstitutional and vindictive.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party asked the Accountant-General of the Federation to disregard the resolution in view of the ruling of the Supreme Court in the Lagos case that no one, not the president or the National Assembly, has the power to withhold local government allocation for whatever reason.

The House said the only way out was for the Inspector- General of Police to provide security for the ousted council chairmen and councillors to return to their offices.

The  move against Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi and his Edo State counterpart, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Adewale Aribisala (PDP Ekiti), seeking the intervention of the parliament in the political crisis brewing in Ekiti State.

Both Ekiti and Edo States were governed by PDP in the wake of the controversial 2007 elections until the courts upturned the election results. The states are now under the control of ACN.

Thisday Newspaper

That's not the title story

The Title looks like the smooth voice of Jacob.
While the body is the hairy hands of Esau.
America jolo jala jolo.