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From Jonas Ike, Abuja.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a report of its Ad-hoc Committee on Edo State House of Assembly Crisis which recommended a full take over of the Edo State legislature if the crisis fails to normalize in line with the provisions of Section 11 (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The House Ad-hoc Committee in a 5 point recommendation had recommended among others: (a) That Edo State Governor Mr.Godwin Obaseki in the interest of peaceful co-existence of the state should issue a fresh proclamation within one (1) week in line with Section 105 (3) of the 1999 Constitution as (amended) stating the date and venue and publish in any National Daily and Television Station.
(b) That all actions taken by the members should be declared null and void pending the proper inauguration.
(c) That all members of the Edo State House of Assembly both those who have been inaugurated should dissolve their factions in the interest of peace and stability of the House with the view to moving the state forward.
(d) That the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Director-General of the Department of State Service DG DSS should shut down the Edo State House of Assembly and provide adequate security to allay further fears of intimidation and threat as alleged by members-elect.
(e) That where all the recommendations (a–e) above fail, the National Assembly should invoke the provisions of Section 11 (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to take over the State House of Assembly until the situation normalizes.
After a clause by clause consideration of all these recommendations by the Ad-hoc Committee, the House at the Committee of the Whole adopted the report.
Deputy Speaker of the House Hon.Idris Wase had rejected the intervention of some lawmakers notably Hon Uzoma Abonta (Abia,PDP) who had argued that it is the Clerk and not the Gorvernor that should reconvene the House.
The presiding officer noted that constitutionally, it is the Governor that has powers to issue proclamation for the inuaguration of the House and not the Clerk.
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