Edo Assembly suspends 3 members over alleged plot to impeach speaker, others

Three members of the Edo State House of Assembly have been suspended.

Rt. Hon Blessing Agbebaku, Speaker of the Assembly stated this on Monday.

The members were suspended over an alleged plot to impeach him and other Principal Officers Council, POC.

The suspended lawmakers are two Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and one All Progressives Congress, APC.

The lawmakers are Okogbe Ojeneh Donald, PDP, Akoko-Edo II, Addeh Emankhu Isibor, APC, Esan North-East I, and Iyamu Bright, PDP, Orhionnwon II.

Donald Okogbe, the lawmaker representing Akoko-Edo II (PDP), in the State House of Assembly is an ally to the former deputy governor of Edo state, Philip Shaibu.

Agbebaku, who said the trio were suspended indefinitely, alleged that they plotted to change the leadership of the house.

He alleged that the three suspended members were being influenced by external forces to cause chaos and remove the leadership of the house.

He also alleged that some persons brought native doctors into the house at midnight on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, to make some demonic incantations and dropped charms in the assembly complex.

The suspension of the lawmakers, however, created tension in the house as the affected lawmakers kicked against their suspension.

In a rowdy session, the three suspended lawmakers were seen screaming, “Mr Speaker, you do not have the right to unilaterally suspend any member(s) of the house.

“You must call for votes. Allow members to vote on the matter, they shouted”.

The Speaker, thereafter adjourned plenary abruptly.

In his reaction on Monday, Okogbe said due process in the suspension was not followed and that their suspension would not stand.

“The move for suspension is illegal because the rules of the house and the constitution of the country is such that every decision the house of assembly will take must be reached by way of resolution.

“Resolution to the effect that somebody must move a motion, it will be seconded by another person and on the basis of that a resolution will be reach but in this case, the Speaker just came in, sat on the red chair and pronounced that the three of us have been suspended, there was no motion, there was no seconder and because he did not follow the due process, there was no voting on the matter and there was uproar and the speaker hurriedly adjourned even though nobody again moved any motion for adjournment.”

On the allegation of juju scare, Okogbe said “Last week, he came and said that he had a video that a member came into the house in the evening with somebody who looked like a juju man and the member said he came to check his Hilux parked because he got information that his driver normally comes to carry the vehicle at odd hours and that he only came to check” and that while on his way, a member of his constituent saw him and followed him to the compound and there prayed for him with a kolanut to wish him well “This has nothing to do with me at all”.