BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

BENIN— THE lingering crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly, yesterday, took a new dimension as the nine Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers in the state gained entry into the Anthony Enahoro Assembly Complex and held a separate plenary in front of the entrance to the chambers.

Factional Speaker, Mr. Festus Ebea, who presided over the plenary, said the lawmakers called on bankers to the legislature to stop the suspended Speaker, Mr. Uyi Igbe, and other principal officers of the House, whom they had suspended, from making withdrawals from the Assembly’s account.

He explained that the lawmakers passed a resolution urging Governor Adams Oshiomhole to pay the outstanding entitlements of the recalled teachers and instructed the 24 local government chairmen to forward their receipts of cash disbursements to the House.

Vanguard gathered that the lawmakers had converged at the Assembly complex as early as 7a.m., with a separate mace and Sergeant-at-Arms, who was heard saying “Mr. Speaker” repeatedly.

Ebea further disclosed that they had resolved that the renovation at the Assembly complex was illegal.

He said: “It did not go through due process. It did not pass through my table as the Chairman of the Committee on Tenders Board.”

A heavy presence of security operatives was seen around the Assembly.