Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed regrets over the hostile political situation in Edo State, saying that it portends grave danger for the country’s democracy.
Atiku advised political operatives not to worsen the already tense atmosphere and asked every concerned party to abide by the rule of law and allow the people of the state to choose who they wish to govern them.
“Nigeria has been on edge due to the brinkmanship of those charged with democratic leadership. We must, as a nation, not escalate the already tense atmosphere in our polity,” he said.
“What is happening in Edo State is a threat to constitutional order nationwide, and I strongly urge belligerent forces to reign in their proxies and abide by the rule of law. As I have previously said, without the rule of law, there will be no rule at all.
“The current goings-on portends grave danger, not only to law and order in that state but to the coming Edo elections.
“The people of Edo state should be allowed to choose who they wish to govern them, and that choice is to be made on September 19, 2020. Pending then, everything legally possible must be done to preserve the status quo.”
The new twist in the state house of assembly started on Wednesday when Yekini Idiaye, deputy speaker of the assembly, was impeached by his colleagues.
Frank Okiye, the speaker, later raised alarm that there was a plot to forcefully take over the assembly.
On Thursday morning, security operatives took over the assembly complex to ostensibly forestall any attack on the assembly, but Okiye alleged that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was behind the action of the security operatives.
At around 3 pm on Thursday, 12 lawmakers-elect of the assembly took their oath of office after more than year of being elected. The 12 assemblymen then went ahead to elect Victor Edoror as speaker. Edoror was removed as deputy speaker in 2018.
There are insinuations that legislators in the Edoror camp are loyal to the former national chairman of the ruling APC, Adams Oshiomhole and would move to impeach the state governor, Godwin Obaseki in the days and weeks ahead.
Obaseki and Oshiomhole have been on each other’s jugular for well over a year now. Oshiohmole, the immediate past governor of Edo State has thrown his political weight behind the PDP candidate in the 2016 guber election, Osagie Ize-Iyamu who will fly APC’s flag in the September 2020 governorship election.
Obaseki on the other hand will be the candidate of the PDP in the contest.
