Edo APC seeks legal advice on cars held by ex-Speaker

The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has said
it is awaiting legal advice from the state Attorney-General on the
official vehicles attached to office of the Speaker of the House of
Assembly, which a former Speaker of the House, Mrs. Elizabeth
Ativie, has allegedly converted to her personal use.

Ativie, who represents Uhunmwode Constituency, was impeached as
the Deputy Speaker on August 16 by 19 members of the House for
alleged gross misconduct.

She was directed by the Clerk of the House, Mr James Omoataman,
to return to the Assembly her official vehicles, comprising a 2016
Lexus jeep, one Prado jeep and two Hilux vans.

But the suspended lawmaker through her lawyer on August 16 told
the House the vehicles were given to her for personal use by the
immediate past governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, for the sacrifices
she made for the peace of the state.

The state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Dan
Orbih, had at press briefing on Sunday accused the state government
of planning to conceal the matter.

Orbih also petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and
other related Offences Commission, urging it to investigate the
issue.

Orbih had said, “Just days ago, information reached us that the
Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, and members of his party
in Edo State have concluded plans to sweep the matter under the
carpet, saying they are going to treat it as an internal affair of
the APC. The vehicles in question belong to the state government
and not the APC.”

But the state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Azebamwan, noted
that though the party had initially tried to resolve the issue
politically, the legal step taken by the lawmaker had prompted it
to toe the path of legal action.

He said, “So having then transcended from a political platform
to a legal platform, the only sensible option for us as a party was
to refer the matter to the state Attorney-General, who is the legal
adviser to the state government and House of Assembly, to give us a
legal position on this matter.

“Any insinuation or allusion that Governor Obaseki is trying to
treat it as a purely internal matter is not just being mischievous
but being economical with the truth.”

The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has said
it is awaiting legal advice from the state Attorney-General on the
official vehicles attached to office of the Speaker of the House of
Assembly, which a former Speaker of the House, Mrs. Elizabeth
Ativie, has allegedly converted to her personal use.

Ativie, who represents Uhunmwode Constituency, was impeached as
the Deputy Speaker on August 16 by 19 members of the House for
alleged gross misconduct.

She was directed by the Clerk of the House, Mr James Omoataman,
to return to the Assembly her official vehicles, comprising a 2016
Lexus jeep, one Prado jeep and two Hilux vans.

But the suspended lawmaker through her lawyer on August 16 told
the House the vehicles were given to her for personal use by the
immediate past governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, for the sacrifices
she made for the peace of the state.

The state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Dan
Orbih, had at press briefing on Sunday accused the state government
of planning to conceal the matter.

Orbih also petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and
other related Offences Commission, urging it to investigate the
issue.

Orbih had said, “Just days ago, information reached us that the
Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, and members of his party
in Edo State have concluded plans to sweep the matter under the
carpet, saying they are going to treat it as an internal affair of
the APC. The vehicles in question belong to the state government
and not the APC.”

But the state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Azebamwan, noted
that though the party had initially tried to resolve the issue
politically, the legal step taken by the lawmaker had prompted it
to toe the path of legal action.

He said, “So having then transcended from a political platform
to a legal platform, the only sensible option for us as a party was
to refer the matter to the state Attorney-General, who is the legal
adviser to the state government and House of Assembly, to give us a
legal position on this matter.

“Any insinuation or allusion that Governor Obaseki is trying to
treat it as a purely internal matter is not just being mischievous
but being economical with the truth.”