17 Edo lawmakers purportedly ‘impeach’ Speaker, as police take over Assembly

‌By Ikechukwu Okaforadi with agency report

Seventeen members of Edo State House of Assembly yesterday purportedly impeached the Speaker, Francis Okiye, and his Deputy, Roland Asoro, after which they claimed to have elected Victor Edoror as the new Speaker for the State House Assembly.
This is just as the officers of the Nigerian Police Force,at the early hours of yesterday took over the State House complex to forstall breakdown of law and order.
The 17 lawmakers comprise 14 members whose seats were declared vacant, and an additional three members of the Assembly.
The 14 lawmakers were sworn in at a private location, after which they teamed up with three others to impeach Okiye and Asoro.
The 17 lawmakers had pledged their allegiance to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the September 19 gubernatorial election, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
Edoror, who represents Esan Central constituency, was reportedly elected during an emergency plenary session attended by the 17 elected members.
It was learnt on Thursday that the meeting, which took place in an undisclosed location in Benin City in the early hours of the day, also saw the election of Emmanuel Agbaje of Akoko Edo Constituency II as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.
Speaking shortly after being elected, the new Speaker, who promised to tow the path of peace, also directed the Edo Commissioner of Police, the Inspector General of Police, and other security agencies to eject the thugs whom he said have invaded the Assembly Complex in Benin, to allow for a rancour-free plenary today.
Meanwhile, some unknown men on Thursday vandalised the Edo State House of Assembly and removed its roof, even as trucks offloaded gravels at the entrance of the Assembly Complex in the pretence of renovation.
However, as the drama unfolded, the premises of Edo State House of Assembly was on Thursday morning besieged by security officers from the Nigeria Police force.