Group condemns call for removal of Edo Speaker

A group, the Afemai People’s Movement has condemned the call for the removal of the Speaker, Edo House of Assembly, Kabiru Adjoto, on the basis of political equity.
The group, at a news conference on Friday in Auchi, condemned the call by some traditional rulers in Edo-North, urging the lawmakers to return the recently-impeached house leadership to Edo-Central.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the immediate-past speaker, Dr Justin Okonoboh, was on August 14 impeached and replaced with Adjoto.
The President of APM, Osikhotse Muhammed, said that the House was an independent arm of government, which had the constitutional powers to select its own leadership.
Muhammed said: “The Edo House of Assembly is an independent arm of government and has the right to select who becomes its leader, based on trust, integrity, honesty and legislative experience.
“Twenty-one of the 24 members of the House were unanimous in opting for the speakership of Adjoto.
“It is unfair for traditional rulers to make a decision for the entire people of the state.
“Traditional rulers should leave political issues for politicians and respect the traditional offices that they hold.”
He commended the lawmakers for their trust and confidence in the leadership of Adjoto, adding that the three-time lawmaker had the experience to lead the house.
Muhammed added: “With the emergence of Adjoto as speaker, the solid relationship which hitherto existed between the executive arm of government and the legislature in Edo, which has been missing, will be restored.
“This will pave way for the state to be able to move forward in leaps and bounds, rather than creating a division between the two arms of government.”