Edo, Bauchi Assembly crisis: We Must Follow Rule of Law, Says Oshiomhole

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Sunday, June 23rd, 2019

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has said that the rule of law must be followed in resolving the Edo and Bauchi House of Assemblies crisis.

Oshiomhole, who spoke with State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, said the rule of law provides for how the House should be proclaimed transparently the day it is announced.

“You know the law provides for how the House should be proclaimed transparently the day it is announced, members elect are informed of date and time for inauguration. These are clearly spelt out in the Nigerian constitution”, he said

“For me, it’s very embarrassing if any state governor, particularly of APC extraction, will do anything that is less than what the constitution says and the example that our President has set”, Oshiomhole said.

“You know that what happened in Edo was that they did not publicize a proclamation letter, the members were not informed, they did the inauguration at 9:30 pm in what in a Supreme Court judgement they call nocturnal hours. Business of parliament are done transparently; they are not secret cult. Now you have 24 member House, 19 members protested. You have 6 and you carry people in their short knickers, even in the House they have rules, the dress code.

“So, it happened in Edo, it has happened in Bauchi. Like Edo, Bauchi used the minority of 10 to go and proclaim the House and lock out 20 APC members and got those 10 people to elect, exactly the way Edo did with 6 and then coopted other 3 people to become nine and even at that it is nonsense. For us these are completely illegal. And that is why we said so.

“If it is wrong, it is wrong whether it is done by APC or by PDP; whether is the Chairman’s state or not. The law is blind to those sentiments. I believe by the end of the day, the solution is return to the rule of law. Let’s properly follow the law; let the parliament do what they have to do but people have the right to lobby for people they want and whom they prefer. This is also legitimate”, he said

On whether he had constituted himself to a godfather in Edo state, Oshiomhole asked, what is the evidence? It’s all about accusation. The media has a duty. They have to give you the particulars of that godfatherism. What’s the evidence? I am a democrat.

“That I accept the credit, not only that I fought godfatherism, I launched the one man one vote campaign to fight against election rigging anywhere in Nigeria and by the special grace of God under PDP with Anenih alive, and at his best, I won all the 18 local government areas and I won 95 percent of the total votes cast in my second term election.

“So, Edo people know me and I know them. I don’t need short-cut to sustain my position in the system. But you know that there is nobody in Nigeria who is not open to accusations. The important thing is that he who accuses should give you the evidence”, Oshiomhole said.