Two years Anniversary of nocturnal inauguration of Edo Assembly

By DADA AYOKHAI

The 9th of June  2019 will go down in the Edo Legislative history as a RED letter day. It was a day 9 members of the 24 members of  Edo State House of Assembly were inaugurated at odd hours  in the night through the instrumenlity of the power that be.

From councillors to council chairmen to lawmakers to governors, they are same of the same. Once the polls are done and dusted, the victorious among them look forward to their formal inauguration, more of an icing on the cake. Nothing else can supersede it. 

Pronto, they begin to mobilise: friends, family members, party chieftains, well wishers, associates and even the entire community get mobilised to the event venue as supporters or as witnesses to history. 

That was exactly the expectations preceding the formal inauguration of the members of the Edo State House of Assembly which was supposed to hold  on the June 5th but suddenly took place on the June 9th yet nothing took place at the normal hours at the hallowed chamber.

Behold, the Edo public was treated to a bizarre spectacle. Rather than the convention which many have become accustomed to, what they saw was more or less a midnight initiation ceremony for newly inducted cult members. 

Edo people heard of inauguration devoid of the fun fare and camaraderie that often accompany such epochal events, rather they were treated to a voodoo inauguration ceremony.

 There were no guests to lighten up the event nor  the usual  battery of cameramen, journalists and others who often feast on such events. 

The few lawmakers on parade appeared like orphans. They were also shabbily dressed. Many of them cut the image of someone plucked off his bed in the dead of night and "forced" to appear before the Emperor, in this case, the Clerk of the House, to renew their loyalty. 

To add salt to a festering injury, only 9 out of the 24 members assembly were present. 

Edolites gave the development different interpretations. Some said it was demostration of craze,  apology to the Afro legend, Fela Anikulapo, majority said it was a sad chapter in our nascent democracy. 

As strange as it seemed, the combatants, all members of the one political family - the APC, went for each other's jugular, not minding any collateral damage(s) their actions may have on the polity. Bottom line,   it was a supremacy battle between a political godfather and his godson.

 Two years later, the mortal wound inflicted on the state is yet to heal. Edo State is still tottering. 

The Edo state House assembly still conducts its legislative duties with 10 members, short of the required quorum.

Even more baffling is  the fact that these 10 members have abandoned their hallowed chambers and relocated to the Government House to perform their duties. 

The House of Assembly building itself which they claim is under going renovation  is gradualing becoming a museum.

The time to remedy the situation and restore vibrancy to the law making arm is now. This is a shameful badge that has portrayed Edo in bad light

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A combination of either legal or political solution is what will bring sanity back.  And, this must be done expeditiously before the third anniversary of this saga.