Edo State under the stewardship of Governor Godwin Obaseki is the only Governor in Nigeria that is yet to make proclamation for the inauguration of the State Assembly to commence legislative business as the constitution demands.
The Governor, who praised himself for breaking the records of his predecessors by scoring 24/24 in the state legislative arm during the election held on March 8, 2019, is now withholding the proclamation for inauguration.
As no government exists in a vacuum, Governor Obaseki’s abdication in this case has cast deep thought on the minds of the people as to why the Governor is withholding the proclamation for the inauguration of the 7th Assembly.
According to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, section 104 of the constitution stated thus: “A House of Assembly shall sit for a period of not less than one hundred and eighty-one days in a year.” And section 105 (1) also states: “A House of Assembly shall stand dissolved at the expiration of a period of four years commencing from the date of the first sitting of the House.” And subsection (3), states: “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the person elected as the Governor of a State shall have power to issue a proclamation for the holding of the first session of the House of Assembly of the State concerned immediately after his being sworn in, or for its dissolution as provided in this section.”
On account of the above constitutional proviso, on what grounds is the Governor withholding the proclamation or is he now scared of the danger of his success on scoring 24/24 in the state legislative arm?
It’s therefore a clarion call to the Governor to do the needful as enshrined in the constitution in order to have a safe landing come 2020.
. Lucyiano writes from Benin City and can be reached via: lucyianoo@gmail.com, and +2348182239697.
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