Edo 14 lawmakers-elect write PDP chair, ask him to prevail on Obaseki, Shaibu

The Edo State 14 lawmakers-elect, who were allegedly excluded from inauguration, have petitioned the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, pleading that he prevails on Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, to allow the people’s will to prevail by inaugurating them.
They asked Ayu to use his office to bring their inauguration before Obaseki and Shaibu, who are members of the party, to remedy the situation in the Edo State House of Assembly.
The petition dated 4th of February, 2022 and signed by Hon. Victor Sabor Edoror, on behalf of the 14 All Progressives Congress (APC) members titled: “Re unlawful exclusion of 14 elected APC members of Edo State House of Assembly from parliamentary duty,” urged Ayu to use his good offices to prevail on the governor, his deputy and their agents to immediately cause the integration of all members of the Edo State House of Assembly so as to protect the Nigerian democracy they believe the PDP also stands for.
The 14 APC lawmakers-elect were said to have been tactically excluded from inauguration in 2019 by the administration of Obaseki on the ground that they are loyalists of former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole.
The 14 APC members wrote: “Chairman sir, it will be our honour to meet with you. If you so desire, to explain our plight in better detail. While looking forward to hearing from Your Excellency, kindly accept assurances of our highest consideration.
“Representations were severally also made to the National Assembly, members recommended that a proper inauguration be done, but were ignored by the Governor Obaseki.
“Our resort to legal redress has also not yielded fruit, as Edo State High Court failed to hear the case till date for the third year running due to the influence of the government (Governor Godwin Obasek and Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu) through her then Solicitor General now Attorney General, Mr Wole lyamu Infact, the eighth judge is presently handling the matter without hearing yet.
“The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was invited to use a legal opinion on the matter after which he wrote to the Inspector General of Police and relevant authority of the state, interpreting provisions of the Constitution and recommending that the inauguration of elected members of the House be conducted.
“The Edo Governor and his Deputy similarly did not comply with this advisory of the highest national legal authority, to integrate Edo House of Assembly members, as the law requires,” they added.