*It is left for NASS leadership to declare the seats vacant
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Edo State Government is currently digging out over possible breach of extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution in the alleged non-resignation of Governor Monday Okpebholo and his Deputy, Dennis Idahosa from their National Assembly seats (the Governor in the Senate and his Deputy, House of Representatives), after their election in September.
Daily Query reports Governor Okpebholo was a serving Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District while his Deputy Hon. Dennis Idahosa represented Ovia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Addressing journalists earlier today (Tuesday, November 26), at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat in Benin City, the Edo State Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi said the refusal of the Governor and his Deputy to tender their resignation letters amounts to a breach of the Nigeria constitution and a disservice to their constituencies.
“Two weeks after their inauguration on November 12, the Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, have failed to officially resign from their respective seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives, denying their constituencies of representation in the National Assembly, in line with section 68 (1)d of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which provides that “A member of the Senate or the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if he becomes President, Vice President, Governor, Deputy Governor or a Minister of the Government of the Federation or a Commissioner of the Government of a State or a Special Adviser.”
“How can they simultaneously hold the positions of Governor and Senator, as well as Deputy Governor and Member of the House of Representatives?” Dr. Aziegbemi wondered. “It is only right and constitutional that they should resign their membership, allowing their seats to be declared vacant and paving the way for a by-election. But again, APC thrives on illegality and lawlessness, and has continued to thread on the infamous path, while making a mockery of their constituents.”
But in a statement, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Fred Itua, countered the PDP, saying “Again, the PDP is openly displaying its ignorance. When members of the National Assembly are elevated, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives declare their seats vacant. We urge Edo people to ignore PDP’s open display of ignorance”.
Aziegbemi, while lamenting that the government has not been able to pay workers’ salaries despite the over N30 billion it inherited from his predecessor, said before now, for eight years, the PDP led-administration paid salaries on or before the 25th of every month.
Besides, he decried the barbaric and unprovoked attack on the party’s Secretariat where properties worth millions of naira were allegedly destroyed and others carted away, including election documents, by suspected thugs.
Aziegbemi also accused the ruling APC of sponsoring thugs who broke into the private residence of the immediate past Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki, in Gestapo style, assaulting and harassing security personnel on the premises.
He said this is most reprehensible and unacceptable and urged relevant security agencies to thoroughly investigate these barbaric attacks and ensure that the perpetrators of the lawless and dastardly acts are brought to book.
He noted that the PDP government has done its best and successfully worked on over 340 schools from the many others across the three senatorial districts and that the ball is now in Governor Okpebholo’s court to do his part, just as the PDP government did.
The PDP Chairman urged the Governor to stop complaining and focus on delivering results for the people, if he really has anything to offer the people even as decried the composition of the SUBEB Board, noting that it is in total disregard to the provisions of the SUBEB Act.
“It confirmed our fears that APC and Okpebholo are only interested in the possibility of award and execution of contracts by SUBEB and not the formulation, regulation of education policy”, Dr. Aziegbemi further alleged.
But reacting to the PDP, the Edo State Government in a statement, said Governor Okpebholo will expose Obaseki, PDP’s rot in the State.
“The factional chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State is yet to accept the clear reality that it has assumed the arduous role of an opposition party.
“The depleted and disorganised party ought to be apologising to Edo people for mismanaging their resources, denigrating revered traditional institutions, and allocating the commonwealth to a few insatiable criminals.
“His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Elected and Executive Governor of Edo State, is in a hurry to develop Edo State. Since his inauguration a fortnight ago, he has remained undaunted, living up to the people’s expectations.
“Barely one week in office, he addressed and solved what the Godwin Obaseki-led administration could not confront in eight years. He has banned activities of touts across various markets in Edo State, hired by the Obaseki-led administration.
“Governor Okpebholo has confronted and solved the hydra-headed cult clashes in Benin City and has stopped illegal revenue collections as well.
“He has flagged off the first flyover bridge in Edo State and is addressing key and challenging problems deliberately packaged by the Obaseki administration.
“The PDP and Obaseki are worried that the public will be dazed when details of the atrocities he supervised as governor are unearthed.
“Unfortunately, the Okpebholo-led administration owes it to Edo people to expose the PDP and Obaseki.
“Today, it is on record that the Obaseki-led heinous administration dubiously dolled out almost 500 Government-owned vehicles to his cronies and allies.
“The PDP-led heist in Edo State will be exposed. Governor Okpebholo-led administration will expose the atrocities of Obaseki and the factional PDP. No amount of blackmail will stop the Okpebholo-led administration from recovering the commonwealth of the people from a few dubious men
“Again, the PDP is openly displaying its ignorance. When members of the National Assembly are elevated, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives declare their seats vacant. We urge Edo people to ignore PDP’s open display of ignorance”, the statement said.
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