New Edo Assembly Speaker Sworn in Amids Tight Security

Former speaker accepts fate

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The new Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly and member, representing Uhunmwode constituency, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie, was monday sworn in.

Meanwhile, in an interview with journalists, the impeached Speaker, Victor Edoror, said he had accepted the decision of the party to maintain the current leadership of assembly.

As this was going on, the premises of the assembly complex was cordoned off by a combined team of security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to forestall any break down of law and order.

More than 10 Hilux patrol vehicles and an armoured personnel carrier were strategically positioned around the complex.
Ativie was sworn in by the Clerk of the assembly Mr. Lawson Ugiagbe, in the presence of other members of the assembly, including the former Speaker, Victor Edoror.

Shortly after her swearing-in, the new speaker appreciated the lawmakers for expressing their confidence in her leadership, promising to lead the assembly with transparency.

She also urged the members to offer their support to ensure that the legislature carries out its constitutional role in the interest of the people of the state, adding that the assembly would work tirelessly with other arms of government to ensure that the state reaches an enviable height.

Ativie, who announced that the suspension of the former speaker had been lifted, said: “I wish to reiterate that all political appointees or appointments of the former speaker stand terminated. That is how it has been in the past and even the letters given to them have always stated that they will leave with the speaker. It is not a new thing that we are doing. So, they stand terminated.

“In the spirit of oneness, in the spirit of breaking new grounds and working harder and in the spirit of reconciliation, I wish to announce that the suspension of the honourable member representing Esan Central, Victor Edoror, is hereby lifted. So, he can come in and join us in the business of the development of our fatherland.”
The lawmakers also elected new principal officers of the assembly while new heads of assembly’s committees were announced.

The member representing Owan East constituency, Mr. Folly Ogedengbe, retained his position as the Majority Leader, while Kabiru Adjoto ( Akoko Edo I, APC) was elected the new Chief Whip, replacing Sunday Aghedo (Ovia South-West, APC), and Henry Okhuarobo (Ikpoba-Okha) elected the Deputy Leader.

In the same vein, Ganiyu Audu (Etsako West I) and Patrick Iluobe (Esan North-East, PDP) were elected as Deputy Whip and Minority Leader respectively, and Crosby Eribo (Egor, APC) and Ugabi Kingsley (Etsako East) were appointed as co-opted members.

On his part, Edoror said: “As far as I am concerned, I am very pleased with members of the state House of Assembly. I give them kudos for giving me the opportunity to lead them for one year. But it is another opportunity for them to test another leadership. In about two, three months, they will begin to compare. But I wish them well.
“I wish the new speaker well. I wish members of the state House of Assembly well and, above all, I wish the people of the state (well) because the party that I belong to, the government that I belong to, we have met and have resolved that it should be so and so be it. And in the spirit of sportsmanship, I think in this game there is no victor no vanquished.”