Your action could set Edo ablaze, SSG tells Senators, Reps – TheNigerialawyer

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday warned the Senate
not to allow powerful persons to set Edo State on fire in order to
satisfy their thirst for power.

Obaseki’s comment is coming on the heel of the Senate resolution
on Edo Assembly crisis directing him to issue a fresh proclamation
for the inauguration of the state Assembly.

Obaseki in a statement issued and signed by Secretary to the
State Government, Osarodion Ogie, declared, “This illegality will
not stand.”

He said it was unfortunate that the “Distinguished Senate” would
act “in flagrant breach of various court orders” and purport to
come to factual and legal conclusions concerning a matter in which
the parties are already before the courts and therefore sub
judice.

According to the statement: “The Edo State Government watched
with alarm today as the distinguished Senate of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, in a step that was not totally unexpected,
purported to pass a resolution in the following terms:

“Directing the Governor of Edo State to issue a fresh
proclamation for the inauguration of the Edo State House of
Assembly, and Ordering a fresh inauguration of the Edo State House
of Assembly within one (1) week from the date of the said
Resolution.

“As earlier mentioned, this move was not unexpected in the light
of the enormous political pressure which had been brought to bear
on the officers and members of the distinguished Senate by the
highly placed and powerful persons who are intent on foisting their
will and choices on the good people of Edo State,” he said.

TThe Governor also noted that the Chairman and Members of the
Ad-Hoc Committee of the Senate which visited Edo State were made
aware of the existence of at least three (3) suits pending before
various Courts wherein the factual and legal dispute regarding the
Edo State House of Assembly inauguration have been submitted to the
Courts by both contending parties for resolution.

According to him, the Ad-Hoc Committee also failed to inform the
Senate of the existence of a valid injunction in Suit No
FHC/B/OS/70/2019 wherein the Federal High Court restrained various
parties from interfering in any manner with the activities of the
Edo State House of Assembly which said order had been brought to
their attention in the course of their visit to Edo State.

He maintained that: “In point of fact in Suit No.
FHC/PH/CS/159/2019 the National Assembly, the Clerk of National
Assembly, the President of the Senate and Speaker of House of
Representatives amongst others were specifically ordered by the
Federal High Court to maintain the Status Quo as at 25th July,
2019.

“The Edo State Government is further aware that in suit No.
FHC/ABJ/CS/815/2019, wherein the Clerk and the National Assembly
are defendants before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the National
Assembly and the Clerk have not only been duly served with the
processes but have entered appearance in the matter.

“We are also concerned that the Members of the Distinguished
Senate appear to have very scant regard for the principle of
separation of powers as enshrined in our Constitution which is
manifested by their taking over the functions of the Judiciary in
dispute resolution and giving directives to a Governor of a State
who is certainly not subject to the supervision of the National
Assembly”, he said.

The Edo State Government maintains that there is nowhere in the
Constitution particularly Section 11(4) which enables the National
Assembly to “take over” any House of Assembly or in this respect,
the Edo State House of Assembly.

The SSG said it must be further observed that it has always been
the contention of the Edo State Government that the power to issue
a proclamation for the inauguration of a House of Assembly as set
out in Section 105(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria was duly and completely complied with and it is not
within the power of the Governor to recall same once issued or to
perform the same act multiple times. Once the Governor issues a
proclamation letter, his job is done.

“It is the duty of the Clerk of the House of Assembly to
inaugurate the House of Assembly and he has since performed that
task. He has further approached a Court of law to seek a validation
of his actions. The pronouncements of the Distinguished Senate on
the subject (with respect) is clearly misconceived and would amount
to interference in the role of the Courts which may in fact
constitute contempt with which the Governor would not wish to be
associated.

“The Government of Edo State firmly believes that our State is
not a colony or a vassal of any person or persons exercising power
in Abuja and we shall take all necessary steps within the ambit of
the law to defend and validate our position and actions on this
matter.

“We call on all persons of goodwill to call the powerful
wielders of “power and authority” in Abuja and elsewhere to refrain
from acts which are clearly unconstitutional, undemocratic and a
flagrant disrespect for the principle of due process and separation
of powers.

“These powerful persons should not be allowed to set our State
ablaze merely to satisfy their thirst for power and control. As we
have always maintained on this subject: – This illegality will not
stand”.

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