Police Defend Edo Assembly’s Takeover about 3 hours ago • Ongoing Renovation Work Not In Appropriation EDO State police commissioner, Folusho Adebanjo, Saturday, said the Police took over the Edo State House of Assembly following a tipoff that rival political parties, All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were mobilising thugs to invade the complex. The House was thrown into fracas, Friday, leading to narrow escape of Speaker, Uyi Igbe, and 14 other lawmakers of the APC of being shot dead by “strange armed policemen” believed to have been deployed from Abuja. The Police were led by ASP Florence Joseph who was said to have threatened to shoot the speaker when he attempted to make enquiry about their mission at the complex. The policemen numbering about 100 stormed the legislative complex at the Kings Square Ring Road to stop an ongoing renovation work at the assembly. They ordered the workmen to laydown their tools and leave the premises. ASP Joseph, who was confronted by the speaker, claimed they were acting on an order “from above.” When approached for comment, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Zone, Hashimu Argungu, said he was just hearing about the “invasion” from the reporter and that he would call the Commissioner to enquire what transpired. But the legislators have vowed to continue their responsibilities in line with the law. They alleged that the crisis was being fuelled by the Presidency, PDP national leadership and the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Amid the confusion, the impeached Deputy Speaker of the house, Festus Ebea along other PDP lawmakers arrived the scene saying: “the roof (of the complex) they are removing was done last year and the exercise was not provided for in the budget.” Ebea said he is Chairman of House Committee on Tenders’ Board and that nobody contacted him and other members on the complex renovation. One of the lawmakers, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie (Uhunmwonde) said they (APC) legislators have contacted the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar and the state commissioner of police but that they both denied knowledge of the deployment of officers to Edo state wondering who could have ordered them. Chairman of House Committee on Information, Youths and Sport, Mr. Kabiru Adjoto, said: “It is obvious that the state PDP has resolved to destabilise the House. Yesterday they held a press conference where they threatened that by Monday their members would sit in the legislative chambers.”
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 00:05:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015