Edo PDP tackles absentee lawmakers-elect, says their seats belong to PDP

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that the seats of the APC lawmakers-elect who refused to be inaugurated now belong to the party’s candidates in the last House of Assembly election in the state.

According to the party in a statement signed by its spokesman, Chris Osa Nehikhare, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly already declared the seats vacant, noting that the PDP candidates are already in court to claim the seats on the ground of abdication of office.

The party was responding to a statement by one of the APC lawmakers-elect, Washington Osifo that he and 13 other colleagues are ready to be inaugurated.

The statement reads: “This statement was credited to Barrister Washington Osifo who was described as the spokesman of the absentee lawmakers.

“It is pertinent to remind Barrister Osifo that he has ceased, along with his co-travelers to be referred to or described as lawmakers- elect or lawmakers! The speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly declared his seat, as well as the seats of his co-travelers vacant. They should know that the seats are no longer available to them.

“The Edo State House of Assembly is not a property of APC neither are the constituency seats bargaining tools in their political bazaar.

“Edo people are too sophisticated for Barr Osifo and APC to treat with disdain and not expect consequences.

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“Barr Osifo and his co-travelers are advised to stay away from EDHA as those 14 seats belong to PDP candidates who have rightly approached the courts and argued that the refusal/neglect by you and your co- travelers to subscribe to the Oath of Membership/Allegiance with respect to the affected constituencies throughout the First Session and First Quarters of the 7th Assembly of Edo State amounts to abdication of office.

“I can’t reconcile why you think you can still lay claims to being a lawmaker even after the speaker declared your seats vacant.”

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