By Lucky Isibor,
The date for the inauguration of the 7th Assembly of the Edo State House of Assembly still remains unknown more than one week after the expiration and dissolution of the 6th Assembly.
Briefing news men after a meeting of the state executive of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, with State House of Assembly members- elect and the state governor, state deputy governor, Hon. Phillip Shaibu who represented Governor Godwin Obaseki, assured that the inauguration of the State House of Assembly will take place soon.
On the rumoured stalemate leading to the several postponements of the inauguration, Hon. Shaibu said, “what we had was a party meeting. The governor, I, the EXCO members and members- elect are here to honour the party’s call for a meeting. There is no stalemate in the inauguration of the Edo State House of Assembly. The Clerk of the House will speak on when the House will be inaugurated.”
Attempts to get the Clerk to speak on when the House will be inaugurated failed as calls put to his phones couldn’t get through.
However, a member-elect of the House of Assembly who pleaded anonymity told Summit News that the meeting discussed the issue of zoning of principal offices of the 7th Assembly.
According to him, the party zoned the position of speaker to Edo Central Senatorial District, deputy speaker zoned to Edo North, while the position of the Majority Leader is zoned to Edo South Senatorial District.
Our anonymous source disclosed further that the three Etsako constituencies are excluded from the contest for the position of deputy speaker. That means it’s specifically zoned to the Akoko-Edo/ Owan axis of Edo North.
On who becomes the speaker, our source said no agreement was reached on that pointing out that members-elect insist they will elect one of the members from Edo Central as their presiding officer when the House is inaugurated. The members-elect also insist on electing the deputy speaker from Akoko-Edo/ Owan axis where the position is zoned to.
APC leaders from Edo Central Senatorial District led by the Senatorial chairman, Col. David Imuse went into a closed door meeting in one of the offices at the party secretariat after the meeting, ostensibly to resolve the knotty issue of who becomes the speaker which is zoned to the district.
Imuse and other party leaders including Elder Omofuma declined speaking to news men after the meeting disclosing that they were in a hurry to consult with the state chairman of the party, Barr. Anselm Ojiezua who is also from Edo central senatorial district.
