Anslem Ojezua, chairman, Edo State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a session with a select group of journalists in Lagos, spoke extensively on the seeming crisis in the state House of Assembly. He urged the National Assembly and those who feel aggrieved for any reason to wait for court’s pronouncement, as the case is already before a court of competent jurisdiction. Ojezua, who said that the state’s party leadership was already addressing the impasse, expressed the fears that some steps being taken by individuals and institutions outside the state may be jeopardising efforts at settling the matter. ZEBULON AGOMUO was there. Excerpts:
We have been reading so many things concerning the situation in Edo State. What is the real story behind the crisis in the state House of Assembly?
Well, you know, it seems to be more of a question of how well are we managing our success in Edo State. As you know, this is the first time we have recorded on absolute victory in the sense that all the seats in the House are for APC; it has never happened before. So, with that as a background; whatever that is happening now will look like, is it an irony or paradox? I don’t know how to describe it, but it is true that we are having issues in relation to the leadership of the House but it does not amount to a crisis, because Edo is functioning; even the House of Assembly itself is also functioning; they have a leadership in place; they are working and there is no crisis; what we have is the House that has been inaugurated; a leadership has emerged; some members are not happy with it and they are taking steps they feel is necessary to change what they cannot have; some have gone to Abuja; they have also been to court as you can see; they have also gone to the National Assembly; all that put together is to stimulate the prospect of a crisis, but in Edo State, there is no crisis.
If they have gone to court, we subscribe to that because that’s what the law says; that should there be any disagreement that they cannot resolve on their own, they can seek redress; they should not resort to self-help. Thankfully, in Edo, all the parties are in court. So, we await the court’s decision, but as a party, we are also taking steps to seek reconciliation for our members in the House. If you recall, when the House was inaugurated, there were nine (9) members; today they are twelve (12). There are prospects that, that number will increase. I think what has actually restrained or is now being an impediment to a peaceful political resolution is the intervention of the National Assembly; so if their intention is to come and help us in Edo, I think they have compounded, somewhat, our problem.
How do you mean?
Oh! The threat that they would come and take over our House of Assembly; the ordinary man in the street is seeing it as if there’s going to be an alien invasion of our state, as if Edo State is a colony of some people in Abuja; that is the impression. And we are having a hard time convincing them that, that is not the intention.
Some people would think that what is playing out in Edo is the voice of Jacob and hand of Esau. They say that ordinarily, given the cordial relationship that exists between the National Chairman of your party and the Edo State Governor, what is happening now, should not happen; what really is the problem?
I agree with you whole-heartedly that what is happening now should not happen. I agree. And I think both of them have the responsibility to do the right thing.
Sir, can you clarify if it is true that the National Chairman of your party wants to impose leadership on the House of Assembly in order to remove the governor. Do you have that information?
I don’t have that information and I cannot say I share that view. But you know, when things like these are happening, people are bound to speculate. It gives room for speculation. So, unwittingly, we may have opened ourselves to all sorts.
As the chairman of the party in Edo State, what steps have you taken to ensure that the other lawmakers-elect who are yet to be sworn in are inaugurated, and also to end the impasse?
We have been working with leaders of our party in various parts of the state, particularly, leaders of those concerned that you spoke of. I did say that we are recording some progress. Three (3) other members have been sworn in to make the number twelve (12). The very day Professor Julius Ihonvbere moved his motion in the House of Representatives, two of those members were actually at the airport waiting to come to Benin to be sworn in when they were informed that they should return because the National Assembly is coming to take over the Edo State House of Assembly; they went back. I said, that for me is a minus rather than a plus in terms of National Assembly intervention. So, I believe that when their intervention dissipates, we will continue the process of reconciliation that we have started.
Is that to say until the National Assembly decides what to do, then you continue what you were doing in terms of reconciliation?
You see, we don’t even believe that the National Assembly has any business in this matter. We don’t even believe that it is right for them to take steps. But you know that we obliged to be polite to them when they came calling for very obvious reasons. So, we made all the facts known; if we had rebuffed them, the tendency would have been to believe that we had something to hide. They have come, and they have all the facts. What are the facts? That the House was, in fact, inaugurated; that a leadership is in place; that they are actually functioning and that the matter is in court. With all that knowledge; what we expected them to report and to recommend is that in light of all these facts, they should seek political solution and also watch the judicial pronouncement. They didn’t that; they could not even wait for the National Assembly process to be completed before they went to town, and therefore, they may have in doing that justified the speculation in town, arising from an audio where one of the members-elect was boasting that the matter had been resolved and that the Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives have already been told what to do, and two or three days later, they did that which the boy said, even though prematurely of their own processes. That, to my mind, has compounded our problem rather than help to resolve it. But, that is why I said when they are through with whatever they are doing; we will continue our process. We were on course. This thing as you see it will be resolved. This is not the first time we are having problem in Edo State House of Assembly. If you recall, in 2014 just after I was elected as chairman, PDP wanted to buy up our members in the House in order that they would impeach our governor. We heard figures as much as N50 million. At a stage, we had to take steps to renovate our House of Assembly, when the roof was removed and members were moved to the Government House. So, if the need arises, we will do anything we have to do to preserve our independence as a state.
They said it was only five (5) members that were originally on the side of the governor; and later four were allegedly kidnapped, abducted and taken, at gunpoint, to be sworn in. What actually is the true position of things? Were they really kidnapped?
You know politics in Nigeria, even everywhere in the world, sometimes you have this drama playing out. If a man is kidnapped and he is released; what does he do? He will go to police, make a statement and seek to prosecute his abductors, particularly when they can be identified. So, all that is part of the drama. But what I have told you is that 12 out of 24 have been inaugurated. There are 12 that are yet to be inaugurated, and we, as a party, are working to see that everybody is complete as part of the family.
When you spoke earlier, you said offices were zoned accordingly and equitably. How come that the other party did not buy into it to the extent that they are protesting up till now?
One thing that is significant, for which I am particularly grateful is that since I made my statement several weeks ago in two national dailies, nobody has come out to say that it is not true. Whether they agree or not is a different kettle of fish; and you know, in politics, you don’t seek a 100 percent, you seek a consensus and it is measured in terms of majority. So, in those meetings that I alluded to, there was a consensus, and everybody signed off on it. They decided to go against the position of the party and we feel it should neither be tolerated nor condoned in the interest of the party because when you go and keep a first aid box, you don’t know for whom you keep those things. Today, it is Obaseki, who knows tomorrow?
Is there any plan for sanction against the erring members?
Well, you know the first thing we want to do is to first of all achieve peace and reconciliation. I do not think that sanction will be the first way or thing to do. Sanction will be the last step after you have exhausted all avenues for reconciliation. The good news is that the House is inaugurated. They have formed a quorum in reaching their decisions. But what is even more interesting now, and that is one peculiar attribute of parliament; the constitution makes provision for 24 members; but at the moment we have 12; and so, when you want to calculate a quorum, you are going to be calculating the quorum on the basis of 12; that is the peculiar nature of parliament. So, as far as we are concerned, there is no problem, unless a court of law, properly so-called, makes a pronouncement to the contrary.
What would be your message to the National Working Committee of your party; two, to the leader of the party who is Mr. President, on Edo matter?
You know, I would rather not send a message to them through this medium. I have made my position clear. I honestly do not think they need to get involved in this. For those of them who have gotten involved, their involvement has not been helpful; I think it is time for them to let go and allow us to handle it at home.
What would be your message to the people of Edo State?
To continue to live in peace, not to be worried about the so-called threat of an invasion; there will be no invasion against the people of Edo. Edo State remains a sovereign part of Nigeria; we are what is called federating partners; we are not any body’s houseboys. Edo is not a colony of the National Assembly or of anybody or of any entity. So, they shouldn’t worry at all. All that is playing out is politics and it will be resolved, politically.
