We won’t allow impunity in Bauchi, Edo to escalate – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it would not allow the “impunity” that took place in both Bauchi and Edo states that led to the inauguration of the Houses of Assembly in both states to continue in other states of the federation.

This may not be unconnected to the recent allegation made by the Governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki, that his estranged godfather and the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole was behind the crisis in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-onilu, said while what happened in Bauchi was not strange being a state controlled  by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he said it was a  shame that an APC controlled state would be involved in such impunity.

“I want to refocus the public through the media on what the issues are, and there is one common issue for both Bauchi and Edo states; it is about the proper inauguration of the Houses of Assembly. Every other issues or stories around it are just unimportant to us as anything else.

“In Bauchi, we all saw what happened, a 31-member House of Assembly, and just a few number, about 11 members  hurriedly gathered themselves and purportedly inaugurated the House of Assembly; that is taking us back five, six, seven years. Nigeria has passed that stage.

“In Edo also, you have a situation where you have nine members, some of them in knickers because they were hurriedly put together and purportedly claimed to have inaugurated the House of Assembly and actually put in place the leadership structure to run the House of Assembly when you have 24 members who are members of the legislature in the state.

“In this case, the rule of law has to be followed and we have demonstrated here even as a party at the national level, all this party did two months after we have won the election was to work within our own party to ensure we get what we want at the National Assembly, we didn’t go to the National Assembly to compromise the system or the process,” he said.

Issa-Onilu also said that he was not aware of the House of Representatives committee report, indicting the chairman of the party as the one behind the crisis in Edo State.