By Monday Osayande
A former Deputy Majority Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon Pally Iriase has said that Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki is fighting democracy by engaging party members in a fight to finish.
Hon. Iriase hinted that the crisis rocking the Edo State House Assembly points to the fact that the Obaseki is seeking for war instead of peace to rule the State.
Iriase, a member of the ‘APC Think Tank in 2015’, also said that the governor’s action clearly connotes a war against democracy in the State.
The one time deputy speaker and Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG) said, “people went for election, it was keenly contested, APC won 24 over in the 24 member house.
“After election, people had the right to look forward to celebrating the swearing in and inauguration of the members of the Edo State Legislature in an orderly manner.
“Indeed the Constitution provides that the governor will make proclamation and this has to be to the knowledge of every member-elect and their people.
“The proclamation as envisaged by the constitution, did not contemplate manipulative twist for undemocratic objective.
“But in Edo State under Obaseki, this simple, convivial but sacred event to inaugurate the peoples’ Assembly in Edo State was deliberately truncated, members-elect were being kidnapped and coerced to submit to swearing-in at 9pm or thereabouts.
“This was to the chagrin of discerning people in the state.
“As I speak to you, only 10 out of 24 members are holding sway as “Edo House of Assembly”. What a deliberate affront on democracy?
“What kind of conspiracy theory will make a sitting governor to be so paranoid as to say he will truncate democracy in his domain by not allowing a full arm of government to take root?
“As I speak with you, people are oblivious of the fact that 10 members are holding sway in Edo State House of Assembly as against twenty-four, does it make any sense?
“And you want the Edo people to believe that your brazen attack on democracy is as a result of your contrived fight with your benefactor – Adam’s Oshiomhole?
“I call on people of goodwill in this country to ponder what violence democracy is being subjected to in Edo State and speak up now, if we believe that democratic government is preferable to autocracy. A war is ongoing against democracy and democratic tenets in Edo State and could snowball.
“The lawmakers from my area and several other areas had no say for me and several others on the budget that Obaseki will be basing his governance on, is that democracy?
“Why do we call it democracy, is it not the government of the people, by the people and for the people? How is it a government of such in Edo State today?
“It becomes a government of Obaseki, by Obaseki and for Obaseki and all of these is swept under the carpet of oh it is Oshiomole. I want to know what Oshiomole has done in this.”
He added: “Oshiomhole as far as I am concerned had an excellent tenure as our governor and as far as I know he is not contesting any election in the state.”
