Hundreds of Edo State women, on Friday, stormed the premises of the State’s House of Assembly in solidarity with governor Godwin Obaseki and the speaker of the house, Frank Okiye.
The women, under the aegis of Women wing of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from all the local government areas of the state, also condemned what they described as illegal impeachment of the Speaker, Frank Okiye.
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Daily Trust reports that the rally caused heavy gridlock at the ever busy Ring Road, thereby forcing motorists to take alternative routes to their destinations.
Addressing journalists, Edo South Senatorial Leader, Lady Uwa Osunbor, said they had chosen to come out en-mass to throw their weight behind the governor in order to complete the projects he had started.
“We are here to do solidarity rally with governor Obaseki, his deputy Philip Shaibu and Frank Okiye.
“This election is 4+4.
“We are solidly with Obaseki because we can’t move to Egypt,” she said.
Uwa, who condemned the alleged impeachment of the House of Assembly Speaker, Okiye, said Edo only have one Speaker which is Frank Okiye.
“We are taking our messages to the street and villages that we have one Speaker in the Edo State House of Assembly and that is Rt. Hon. Frank Okiye.”
Also at the rally were women priestesses across Benin kingdom who rained curses on whosoever that want to cause disaffection in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the priestess of Ekutetebite Negwogho group, Princess lnibokun lmasemwenbor, said she inherited her symbol of authority as juju priestess from her grandfather and whatever she pronounced on anyone will be so.
She said they were out to support governor Obaseki in his reelection bid.
Crisis in the House
The crisis rocking Edo State House of Assembly took a new dimension, on Thursday, with the inauguration of the 14 embattled lawmakers and emergence of a new speaker.
This is just as the roof of the legislative complex was removed allegedly as part of renovation on Thursday.
The latest crisis in the parliament was ignited by the removal of the deputy speaker of the assembly, Yekini Idiaye, on Wednesday, barely 48 hours after he threw his weight behind the candidature of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the September 18 governorship election in the state.
Our correspondent reports that the 14 members-elect were sworn in at an undisclosed location in Benin, on Thursday, 13 months after 10 of their colleagues were inaugurated.
The newly sworn in lawmakers along with three others removed the speaker of the assembly, Mr. Frank Okiye, and announced Victor Edoror as his replacement.
Daily Trust reports that the 24-member assembly has been enmeshed in crisis since its inauguration in June last year.
