The Edo State Caucus in the House of Representatives has expressed serious concern over the stiff position of Governor Godwin Obaseki towards inaugurating the 14 members of the Edo State House of Assembly and non-payment of salaries of some Local Government Councillors.
Leader of the Caucus and House Deputy Majority Leader, Peter Akpatason made this known at a meeting with the Body of Principal Officers of the Edo State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker,
Marcus Onobun at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
He said: “We are 360 people in this place, we represent the 36 States of the Federation including Federal Capital Territory. We work as if we are one family, what happens to one person happens to others.We feel for each other and we accommodate each other, that is how we are able to collectively deliver.
“For us to be able to deliver, for you to be able to deliver, there’s need for you to also look at how to put yourselves together. We were inaugurated in this place 360 people and today we are still working together as 360 members. Some people have lost their seats and another who contested came in, they were sworn in and constantly we are still 360 people.
“I want to urge on behalf of the Caucus that as you go back home, please embark on the process of bringing yourselves together, you have 14 of you who are yet to be inaugurated and Assembly is incomplete because you are chunk of Representatives.
“So you have to ensure, do your best and everything possible to bring it to the attention of the government of Edo State that it is important that those people are inaugurated, so that you have a full House that can deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
“We support this inclusiveness, we support peace in Edo State, we
support a structure that will deliver to every aspect of Edo State. Any place that is not properly represented, cannot be said to be enjoying the dividends of democracy.”
Akpatason who also frowned at Governor Obaseki’s refusal to pay salaries and emoluments of some Councillors, said some of them have not been on payroll because of some of the things that happened before the election.
“So we are putting some of these proposals before the Speaker and his
team that as you go back, pay attention to these and make sure that you bring them to the attention of the Governor to make sure that the right thing is done,” he stated.
Earlier, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Onobun applauded Members of the Edo Caucus in the House of Representatives for the leadership role played in quelling tension before and during the just concluded governorship election.
He said the initial fear that there would be an orgy of bloodletting in the state and that Edo will become a theatre of war did not come to pass.
“The immediate past Speaker (Frank Okiye) and myself are both here. What happened is an internal arrangement meant to bring development and the dividend of democracy to the people,” Onobun said.
