By Ozioruva Aliu

THE member representing Owan West constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku on Friday emerged as the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly while Mrs. Maria Edekor representing Esan North-East Constituency II was elected by the 24 members of the 8th Assembly for the position of deputy speaker.

Both of them emerged unopposed and they are both from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP won 15 seats in the rescheduled March 18 House of Assembly election, leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) with eight seats and Labour Party (LP) with one.

Meanwhile Governor Godwin Obaseki, has congratulated the newly inaugurated members and called for a smooth executive-legislative collaboration to sustain the gains recorded by the administration across all sectors of the State in the past six years.

Obaseki, who received the legislators at the Government House, in Benin City, congratulated Agbebaku and Edeko on their emergence as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House respectively.

The governor said, “As we progress in our democracy, it becomes more obvious that the call for economic growth and development is hinged on the rule of law and a well-functioning legislative arm of government. Businesses are functioning well today; there is law, order, safety, stability, and security because we have a very functioning and effective legislature in the State. We have people putting our laws to regulate how we behave and transact businesses in the State.

“I am glad that you are coming now to help me in the journey we started six and half years ago, the journey of reforms. I thank members of the seventh Assembly as it was a historic and watershed Assembly in the political annals of Nigeria.”

He added, “Legislatively, the world would see the work put in by these members of the seventh Assembly in transforming our laws and helping the Executive with the appropriate and timely legislation to do their work, and it’s historic. What the seventh Assembly did, the eighth Assembly must do much better.”

Charging the legislators on effective legislation to engender sustainable development, the governor continued: “We are particular about the work environment as you have inherited a brand new House of Assembly and it will make you efficient. We would like to work with you, your infrastructure, work environment and tools, and also let you know the sort of reforms taken as executives to improve service delivery.

On his part, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku thanked the governor for the administration’s developmental strides across all sectors of the State, assuring the support and collaboration of the new legislators.

“This 8th Assembly is ready to work with you to form a very concrete and solid synergy with the executive arm of government to ensure that you finish well all you started in the State. We are here to move Edo State forward and make you finish well.”