Former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole has says the incoming Edo State house of Assembly members are hungry to probe how the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki spends public funds during his tenure in office before the end of his tenure in November 12, 2024.
Oshiomhole comments come three weeks after Obaseki through the State Commissioner for Communication, Chris Nehikhare, ordered his predecessor’s arrest for allegedly mobilising thugs to vandalise banks and disrupt the peace of the State over the naira scarcity before the humiliating defeat of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Candidates in the National Assembly seats in February 23, 2023 polls.
Addressing journalists in Benin City, the State Capital, ahead of Saturday March 11th 2023 Governorship and State house of Assembly elections, Oshiomhole, urged his successor not to be scared of impeachment if he has performed well in office since the past seven years, ahead of the inauguration of the 7th legislative Assembly in June 2023.
Oshiomhole, former National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said, “The purpose of the House of Assembly is to subject the Executive to legislative scrutiny. It is not for nothing that you spend millions, if not billions, maintaining a parliament.
According to him, most of the incoming Candidates of the Assembly are “hungry to ensure that the governor spends resources in a manner that captures the aspirations of their various constituents. Sacking the governor is not in their manifesto”.
He emphasized that if Obaseki had performed well as Edo State Governor, then he would not be worried about the electorate voting against his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Oshiomhole said, “of the number of people who are contesting, how many are new members who are seeking election for the first time and how many are old members who probably have been elected before?” he asked.
“There is no truth in it unless the governor feels that he has committed so much atrocities that he is now afraid that he cannot stand the rigour of democratic governance.
“The purpose of the House of Assembly is to subject the Executive to legislative scrutiny. It is not for nothing that you spend millions, if not billions, maintaining a parliament”.
The face-off between Obaseki and his former ally, Oshiomhole, deepened after Mr Jonathan Ayuba-led All Progressives Congress (APC) screening Committee for Edo State Governorship election, disqualified Mr Godwin Obaseki from seeking re-election on the platform of the party, prompting him and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, to resign their membership from APC in July 2020 and joined the PDP, which gave the duo the party’s governorship ticket to contest September 19, 2020 Governorship election in the State.
TheNewspad recalls that former Speaker of the 24-members State house of Assembly, Hon. Frank Okiye, had declared the seats of ten house of Assembly members-elects for failing to present themselves for the nocturnal inauguration of the Assembly on June 17th 2019, following a purported proclamation letter was issued by Governor Obaseki, while two other APC members — Mr. Uyi Ekhosuehi and Mr. Eric Okaka representing Oredo East and Owan East Constituency for not meeting the mandatory 180 sitting days as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) months later.
The APC memberselect are Mr. Vincent Uwadiae, Ovia North-East II; Ugiagbe Dumez, Ovia North-East I; Washington Osifo, Uhunmwode; Victor Edoror, Esan Central; Kingsley Ugabi, Etsako East and Michael Ohio-Ezomo, Owan West State Constituencies.
Others are Sunday Aghedo, Ovia South-West; Chris Okaeben, Oredo West; Crosby Eribo, Egor; Aliyu Oshiomhole, Etsako West II; Oshomah Ahmed, Etsako Central and Ganiyu Audu, Etsako West 1.
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