It started when the Majority Leader, Mr. Folly Ogedegbe, moved the motion for the impeachment of the Speaker and his deputy for alleged gross misconduct, which was seconded by Mr. Gani Audu (Etsako West I).
Mr. Patrick Iluobe, was later appointed to preside over the business of the day where the member representing Uhunmwode constituency, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie, was appointed as the first female speaker of the House of Assembly, while Dr. Joseph Okonoboh (Igueben constituency), was appointed as her deputy.
Immediately the new speaker was sworn in, Edoror and Osayande were said to have walked into the chamber allegedly in company of some thugs who shot sporadically and left the workers and some journalists to scamper into safety.
A combined team of security operatives from the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps dispersed the thugs with tear gas canisters. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike, was later sighted at the assembly complex.
While briefing journalists shortly after the incident, the pro-Ativie lawmakers told journalists that the members could no longer tolerate the alleged highhandedness of Edoror, whom they claimed “ate government money the way the endangered red squirrel eats palm nut.”
They also accused him of allegedly having six pending cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, adding that a five-member committee, led by Kabiru Adjoto (Akoko Edo I) had been set up to investigate his alleged financial recklessness, as Speaker from June 2015 to May 3, 2016.
Adjoto, who spoke on their behalf, said, ”We, the members of the Edo State House of Assembly, 16 of us, followed due process to impeach the former Speaker, Mr. Victor Edoror, for reasons stated herein.
“Mr. Victor Edoror is a Speaker that is violently corrupt. He was a speaker that ate government money the way the endangered red squirrel eats palm nut; as he’s eating one, he is looking at the other one to eat.
“He is violently dictatorial; because of that, we came together as honourable members; we are a 24-member House. Sixteen members signed the impeachment of the former Speaker, which constitutes two-third of 24. We have here the list of the 16 members that signed the impeachment notice in their own handwriting.
“So, we have a new Speaker, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie, who is the member representing Uhunmwode constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly.
“We have equally impeached the former deputy speaker, Mr. Bright Osayande, for the same reasons adduced before now (and) replaced by Justin Okonobo, member representing Igueben constituency.”
Punch
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