Edo Lawmakers allege assasination plot

BENIN CITY - Edo State House of Assembly has adopted a resolution calling on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Inspector- General of Police to take urgent steps to protect the lives and property of the Lawmakers of the State House of Assembly allegedly Penciled down for assassination by the PDP in the state.

The resolution also called on the State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to take steps to provide security for the legislators especially at their residential quarters.
According to Hon. Kabiru Adjoto, the resolution became necessary because the suspended legislators were using federal might to destabilize the House by deliberately disrupting plenary activities at the State Assembly, Hon Adjoto (Akoko Edo 1 ), who spoke under Matters of Urgent Public Importance, alleged that there was a plot to assassinate some members of the State Assembly by the suspended PDP lawmakers who turned down the N50 million offer to defect from APC.

Adjoto said that the suspended PDP Lawmakers at a secret meeting at the residence of a chieftain of the party had perfected plans to assasinate the speaker by using a petrol tanker to over-run his convoy on his way to the APC National Convention in Abuja while they intend to eliminate the Majority Leader by bombing his vehicle.

The assassination plot which according to Hon. Adjoto is to also involve the Chief Whip, Hon. Foly Ogedengbe who he said they intend to kill in his home town and himself (Adjoto).

The Lawmaker also averred that the APC Youth Leaders, Tony Kabaka and Eriyo Osakpamwan have also been tipped to be framed up in order to warrant their eventual arrest and subsequent movement to Abuja.

The Majority Leader, Hon. Philip Shaibu while corroborating the assassination plot alleged that he had been receiving death threats from anonymous callers spitting fire and brimstone.

Hon. Shaibu, while condemning the role of the Presidency and Inspector General of Police in using Federal might to destabilize the House through the use of the Nigeria Police said APC Lawmakers will fight to protect democracy, adding that the Presidency was hell bent on destabilizing the Peace in the state as it had done in Port-Harcourt.

On their part, Hon. Elizabeth Ativie and Hon. Paul Ohonbamu both lampooned men of the Police who fired carnisters of teargas at vehicles of legislators while approaching the complex.

They said it was a deliberate attempt to disrupt plenary, suggestive of their complicity with the PDP fuelling chaos in the state.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly Hon. Uyi Igbe has said that the Leadership of the House remained unchanged, against speculations peddled by some media as sponsored by the suspended PDP Lawmakers, led by Hon. Festus Ebea.

Hon. Igbe made the announcement at a press conference in his office called at the instance of the Chairman of the House Committee on Information. Hon. Kabiri Adjoto.

The Speaker said that the House after suspending the lawmakers is waxing stronger as he has full support of 15 other lawmakers in the House who openly passed vote of confidence on the leadership of the House.

However, there was palpable tension at the Edo State House of Assembly yesterday as the suspended Deputy Speaker and the three lawmakers led other PDP lawmakers of the State Assembly as they forcefully gained access into the Chambers for a parallel plenary.

They were allegedly aided into the chambers by political thugs who invaded the Assembly complex with the assistance of security operatives.

During the plenary which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon Festus Ebea, the lawmakers in attendance made a suspension order on the Speaker; Hon. Uyi Igbe, Majority Leader, Hon. Philip Shaibu; Chief Whip, Hon. Foly Ogedengbe and six other principal officers for dereliction of duty.

Hon. Kingsley Ehigiamusoe, PDP lawmaker representing Igueben constituency moved a motion for the suspension which was seconded by Hon. Patrick Iluobe (Esan North East).

However, the sitting was without the symbol of authority, the mace, and the sergeant at arms.

The situation at the complex, however degenerated into pandemonium when the suspended lawmakers after adjourning indefinitely, returned to the chambers, invaded the assembly complex along with Mobile Policemen to disrupt plenary, presided over by Hon. Uyi Igbe.

This was after the security personnel fired canisters of teargas at the Igbe led lawmakers, into the chambers as well as the complex, a development which caused pandemonium.

Meanwhile, there was presence of heavily armed security operatives, including men of the Nigerian Police Force, Mobile Policemen and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel to forestall the breakdown of law and order.

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