There’s Nothing I Can Do To Bring Back 14 Edo Lawmakers – Obaseki

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has said he lacks the constitutional powers to return the 14 lawmakers whose seats at the state House of Assembly were declared vacant by the speaker of the Assembly, Frank Okiye.

Governor Obaseki stated this during his visit to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, on Monday.

He said the lawmakers blew their opportunity to retain their seat by yielding to their ‘godfathers’ who had given them hope that a new proclamation will be reissued to inaugurate the assembly members.

“They (lawmakers) were listening to their godfather who kept hoping and promising that he would unconstitutionally get the state House of Assembly to reissue a proclamation even after the court had settled the matter,” said the Governor.

“For more than 180 days they did not come. They refused to represent the people. Those seats became vacant; that’s what the constitution says.

“They went to court after those were declared vacant by the Speaker. There is nothing I can do to that at this time.

“I wish it did not happen but people were playing God and promising what is not constitutionally possible.

“It is not about me. I am an elected governor of Edo. I am not one that plants people into the House of Assembly.

“They on their own operated the rules the way it should be, the seats are now vacant.

“We should learn that democracy is underpinned by the constitution and the law.

“Even if I wanted today to bring them back, I don’t have such powers.

“I do not have anything against them because I do not have such authority to bring them back to the House.”

It should be recalled the state Assembly had on December 4, 2020 declared 14 seats vacant.

12 seats were declared vacant after the elected lawmakers refused to present themselves for inauguration into the Assembly while two others were stopped for failing to meet the mandatory sitting requirements to continue as members.

The seats were for Etsako West I, Etsako West II, Owan East, Owan West, Etsako Central, Etsako East, and Esan Central.

Also affected were the seats for Uhunmwonde, Oredo East, Oredo West, Egor, Ovia North East I, Ovia North East II, and Ovia southwest I.