State assembly suspends lawmaker over petition

Edo House of Assembly on Wednesday suspended a member, Mr Godwin Adenomo (APC – Ovia South-West) for three months for refusal to defend his allegations against the house before a committee.

Adenomo had petitioned the house through his lawyer, Mr Kingsley Obamogie, alleging refusal by the Assembly to pay his entitlements as directed by the Supreme Court in its judgment, which ordered his swearing-in as member.

The court had on Dec. 10, 2017, sacked Mr Sunday Aghedo as member representing Ovia South-West in the assembly in affirmation of a lower court’s earlier judgment, and ordered his replacement with Adenomo.

It held that Adenomo was the duly elected candidate of APC in the assembly’s election in 2015.

During consideration of the report in “the Committee of the Whole”, Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Mr Victor Asein (APC – Owan West) said that the lawmaker deliberately shunned the committee’s invitations.

He told the house that Adenomo did not explore the proper channel in line with the Assembly’s rules in pursuing his case.

Asein said that the lawmaker’s action was political and a deliberate attempt to malign and bring the house to disrepute.

He said that the petitioner’s claims in the petition were frivolous, inaccurate and unfounded.

According to him, salaries and emoluments of members of the legislature are determined by the Revenue Allocation, Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RAMFAC).

Asein said that the committee recommended that the petitioner should be suspended for three months in the first instance, “pending when he presents himself to the committee’’.

The house unanimously adopted the committee’s recommendation and suspended the member for three months.

The Speaker, Kabiru Adjoto, immediately directed the suspended member to submit all government property in his possession to the Deputy Clerk of the assembly.

Adjoto also directed that clean copies of the resolution be sent to the governor, Commissioner of Police and the Director of Department of State Security (DSS) in the state.

Meanwhile, the house has called on the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to immediately provide relief materials to rain storm victims in Urhonigbe, Orhionmwon Local Government Area.