Edo crisis: I cannot be intimidated, says Oshiomhole 2 hours ago Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State on Tuesday said not withstanding the crisis rocking his state House of Assembly, he can never be intimidated. Oshiomhole spoke in an interview with State House correspondents shortly after attending a meeting of the Council of State presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan. He boasted that even without state instrument, he confronted the powers that be on the streets of Abuja before he became a governor. Based on this, he said he is not a man that can be intimidated. He said, “Now what is my position in this? Simple! Without state instrument on the streets of this city of Abuja we confronted the powers that be. We confronted people who occupied this Villa from 1999 to 2007, along with my colleagues, across the 36 states we did. So I am not a coward that can be intimidated. “One thing is that election is coming in 2015 and we have defeated PDP consistently since 2009 that I assumed office. Every by-election they lost. “The last National Assembly election, we defeated them in the whole of Edo South which is about 51 per cent of the population, we defeated them in Edo North which is about 33 per cent of the population, we defeated them in Edo Central which accounts for about 17 per cent of the population. “In my own election, in all that they boasted that they were going to do, I defeated them in all the 18 local government areas including the local government of the PDP godfather. “And so what they are trying to do now is that having lost the election, having been rejected by the Edo people and knowing that another election is coming, they want to distablise the state, intimidate my person. “And as you read one metuhsella or Olisa Metuh or by whatever name he is called, he was reported as saying that I am destabilising Edo State because I want to contest for Vice Presidency. Now that is standing logic upside down.” Oshiomhole said if he wanted to contest the vice presidency, he did not need to destabilise the government he currently heads. He said by his statement, Metuh has let the cat out of the bag that they are afraid for the rumoured ambition that he wants to contest for vice presidency. The governor said even if he decided to contest for the Presidency, the PDP cannot intimidate him. “The point I want to make is that if I decide even to contest for the presidency, PDP cannot intimidate me, I have a right to do so if it is my conviction. “It is unfortunate that some people want to put their individual interest above national interest and I cannot be intimidated. I’m firmly on ground and there is nothing to worry about,” he declared. He attributed the crisis in the state legislature to the fact that some PDP lawmakers believed that they are above the law and they want to celebrate the culture of impunity. He said because he is a product of struggle, he is used to people who think that they are more than what they are. The governor said his life history tells him that only the man on the side of truth is on the side of God and only that could survive. He explained, “The issue in Edo is straight forward, four members of the PDP on their own went to court asking the Federal High Court to ask the Speaker not to declare their seats vacant. “Number two, asking the Court to restrain the Speaker and the the House of Assembly from carrying out any disciplinary action against them. The court granted these two reliefs. “Now the issue is, I can understand why they were asking that their seats should not be declared vacant because they had changed camp. “But they also went on to ask the court to restrain the Speaker from suspending them based on internal disciplinary issues. The court granted both prayers. “But when the motion was argued by both sides, the court ordered that the Speaker should still not declare their seats vacant pending the determination of the substantive suit. “However, the court vacated the order restraining the House and the Speaker from suspending them for any alleged misconduct on the grounds that the court cannot prevent an arm of government from carrying out internal disciplinary measures. “Now, having vacated one leg of the order, the House met subsequently based on their rules and suspended these four members. You know as media men and women that across the 36 state houses of assembly and even National Assembly at one time or the other, members have been suspended for one offence or the other. “And in a democracy, if any action is taken against you and you are not satisfied there is only one civilised way to go, that is to go to court. However these members refused to abide by the suspension order in clear violations of the rules of the House of Assembly.” Oshiomhole said the House of Assembly, determined to be on the right side of the law, decided that rather than physically resolve the matter, it would approach the High Court to ask it to grant interim injunction restraining the four suspended members from coming into the House of Assembly. He added that because the police were aiding and abetting the suspended members, the House also asked the court to restrain the police from aiding and abetting them from violating the suspension order. He said the High Court granted the order, restraining them from going to House of Assembly and restraining the police from aiding and abetting. Rather than obey the law, the governor said the PDP lawmakers boasted that they will not obey the court order which they described as useless. He alleged that the bailiff went to serve them the contempt paper, they harassed and abused him. “Which means these guys because they are members of the PDP believe they are above the law, they are above the court and that the court orders are not meant to be obeyed. “Ironically, the only reason Edo tax payers money is spent to maintain these honourable members of the House is to make laws for the good governance of the state and yet you who live on lawmaking, you are the first to dismiss the order of a High Court even when you were the first to approach the High Court for protection. “And as we speak, you are enjoying that protection but the other leg of the court’s decision that is against you, you chose to disobey it,” he added.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 20:00:39 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015