The Edo Youth Vanguard (EYV) has warned House of Representatives and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to either be impartial in its intervention in the House of Assembly crisis or incur the wrath of the youths.
In a statement in Benin by its president, Nosakhare Oseghale, the group questioned, especially the lower legislative arm’s directive to Governor Godwin Obaseki to issue a new proclamation to the Assembly for proper constitution, while directing the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), to shut down the Assembly and provide adequate security to allay further fears of intimidation and threat as alleged by some members-elect.
The decision was reportedly taken when the House adopted the recommendations of its committee set up to investigate the crisis in the state Assembly.
Reacting, Oseghale said: “We are surprised and shocked that the House of Representatives seems to have abdicated its primary responsibility to represent the common and collective interests of the citizens through enactment of laws for the peace, order and good governance of the Federation among other equally important legislative duties.
“In a democracy, as practised in Nigeria, the legislature exists as an independent institution, which deepens democracy and ultimately strengthens the polity. Shirking or abdicating these all-important responsibilities on the altar of parochial and partisan and political interests imperils democracy and that comes with devastating consequences.
“This is why the stance of the House of Representatives on the Edo State House of Assembly issue raises not only eyebrows, it calls for deeper scrutiny into what inspired the misguided decision. Who are their sponsors? Are they acting in our interest or the interest of their paymasters,” the group queried.
The EYV warned Edo youths were not docile.
“We have just decided to maintain the peace and order in the state as encouraged and entrenched by Governor Obaseki, but, we are privy to the shenanigans of selfish and mindless Abuja political merchants and we shall not allow them to dictate to us who the leaders of our House of Assembly should be.
“Since when did the national party start interfering in the composition of the leadership of a state House of Assembly, if not that there is a particular interest that needs to be served?”
The youth group claimed that it was ironic that the House of Representatives acted in the manner it did, given that constitutionally, to make such order or any whatsoever on a state House of Assembly, there should be a joint resolution with the Senate and until then, any such directive is an exercise in illegality.
The group also pointed out that apart from the illegality, what the House of Representatives has done is sub-judice given that the parties involved in the crisis are aware that there are three legal suits on the matter, while there’s a Federal High Court injunction in respect of one of the issues raised.
On allegations that the crisis may have been encouraged by the immediate past governor and incumbent National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, the group said it was not oblivious to the rumour.
The group affirmed that it decided to raise the alarm to forestall a situation that caould set the state on fire and to avoid the Zamfara experience, where all elected officials were sacked by the Supreme Court.
“Let it be clear that we have a performing governor that is widely loved by Edo State indigenes at home and abroad because of his sterling achievements in office. That he has refused to share the state’s money with political leaders, should not make him a sacrificial lamb. If it is a war the party or any other meddlesome group wants, we are ready for them,” the group said.