By Simon Ebegbulem
BENIN CITY — FRESH crisis is looming in the Edo State House of Assembly, following plans by members of the House to impeach the Speaker, Bright Omokhodion, for alleged dictatorial tendencies and  failure to check the executive.

Vanguard learnt that majority of the 15 Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, lawmakers have collated signatures for the impeachment, but it was gathered that they are yet to get the nod from the Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who is expected to oppose the impeach.

But in a swift reaction, the Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media, Mr. Ralph Okhiria, denied any plan to impeach the Speaker, saying:  “The members have no reason to do that because the Speaker carries them along in whatever he does.

He runs an open door policy and manages whatever resources that come prudently and he is well accepted.”
It will be recalled that nine Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  lawmakers had abstained from sitting since March after former Speaker, Mr.  Zakawanu Garuba, was controversially removed by the ACN lawmakers.

Ever since the incident, only the 15 ACN lawmakers have been attending proceedings amidst tight security.
Vanguard learnt that majority of the lawmakers accused Speaker Omokhodion of running the affairs of the House like his personal estate and had stalled the approval of many proposals presented to him by members.

One of the lawmakers, who craved anonymity, told Vanguard that “when Zakawanu was here as Speaker, we didn’t suffer like this.”

When you give Zakawanu a proposal as regards committee work, he ensures that he approves because it helps in carrying out our oversight functions. And we have told him that we cannot always be stooges to the executive because this is an independent body but he feels he knows more than others and people are tired.”

However, Okhiria said that “what happened on Monday was that committees were reshuffled for effectiveness and there was no sign of any impeachment in the House. Though the Speaker  is not in town, but as for the Governor intervening, the Governor is a leader of the party and at regular intervals, he had held meetings with the leadership of the party. But that he met the members to intervene, I am not aware of that.”