The factional 10-member Edo State House of Assembly was within the eye of the storm yesterday, as 9 lawmakers consisting six PDP and three APC, unanimously impeached the Speaker, Mr. Francis Abumere Okiye.
Okiye who represents Esan North East Constituency, was additionally suspended from the House for 3 months.
In his stead, the lawmakers elected Mr. Marcus Onobun, representing Esan West Constituency as the new Speaker.
Trouble was stated to have began for Okiye shortly after the House resumed its plenary and he requested the Clerk, Alhaji Yahaya Omogbai, to learn the order of proceedings for the day to the listening to of members to ensure that the Home to start the enterprise of the day.
Read more: Edo House of Assembly: Edo state Speaker, Emmanuel Agbaje and other members visit Gov.Obaseki
However the Majority Chief of the Home, Henry Okhuarobo, was stated to have shortly drawn the eye of Okiye to a petition in opposition to him and reeled out the impeachment movement.
The lawmakers accused Okiye of alleged monetary impropriety and unanimously impeached him, following a movement moved by Henry Okhuarobo representing Ikpoba-Okha Constituency and seconded by the member representing Akoko-Edo 1 Constituency, Prince Yekini Idaiye.
The member representing Igueben Constituency, Mr. Ephraim Aluebhosele had earlier moved a movement to appoint the brand new speaker after Okhuarobo raised the problem of a petition in opposition to Okiye and was seconded by the member representing Akoko-Edo 11 constituency, Mr Emmanuel Agbaje.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Roland Asoro, presided over the plenary shortly after the impeachment course of.
Members of the house unanimously adopted the impeachment movement by way of a voice vote.
The Lawmakers thereafter arrange a committee headed by Okhuarobo to probe Okiye and submit the report back to the House.
In his remark, new Speaker, Mr. Marcus Onobun, thanked the members for his election and shortly swung into motion by dissolving the Home’s standing Committees simply as he relieved the appointees of the previous Speaker of their appointments.
In addition to, Mr. Onobun additionally constituted a three-man Committee to look into financial data of the House underneath the management of the previous speaker.
Efforts by the State Deputy Governor Comrade Philip Shaibu, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie Esq. and speedy previous Speaker and Political Adviser to the Governor (Edo North Senatorial district) Mr. Kabiru Adjoto, to wade into the matter, failed because the lawmakers had concluded the impeachment course of.
Lots of the aides to the previous Speaker and employees, together with police personnel connected to the Meeting, have been seen stranded amid confusion on the time of this report.
Efforts to succeed in Okiye yesterday for remark over his removing failed as he wouldn’t choose calls to his cell phone.
Talking to newsmen on the impeachment of Okiye, the Majority Chief, Henry Okhuarobo stated “the members have compelling causes to do what they did and that the Home wanted to attend until now due to political causes and now the method is over.
“Regardless of APC or PDP, we’re united within the quest to maneuver the state ahead”.
