There are strong indications that the impeachment of the Edo State Speaker, Friday Edoror, and Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea, has connections with the governorship ambition of the state deputy governor, Pius Odubu.
Investigations indicate that the impeachment of the senior leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly was orchestrated by higher political powers to weaken the governorship ambition of Pius Odubu.
This follows the belief that the duo are strongly in support of the deputy governor’s ambition to take over the governorship at the expiration of Oshiomhole’s administration.
It was learnt that Governor Oshiomhole is scheming to kill the governorship ambition of his deputy and pave way for one of the Obasekis to emerge as the All Progressive Congress (APC) flag bearer in the party primaries coming up in June.
Further investigations revealed that the governor has begun the impeachment process of his deputy, all in a move to dampen his ambition and drive him from the race.
Oshiomhole’s move, it was gathered, is based on the perceived popularity of Odubu as the people of the state are believed to be in support of his ambition, against Oshiomhole’s support for Obaseki.
For this, Oshiomhole appears uncomfortable, hence he is putting every machinery in place to frustrate the ambition of his deputy.
It was also learnt that the two lawmakers that were impeached was done due to their support for the deputy governorship aspiration.
Oshiomhole has succeeded in one plot to dampen Odubu’s ambition, the second is his alleged plot to impeach him and thereby reduce him to nothing and push him out of the race.
Following the impeachment of the assembly men yesterday, there was violence across the city of Benin as thugs were said to have invaded the house of assembly, ostensibly in disagreement with the action of the house members.
But a section of the house of assembly members said the impeachment had no connection with the ambition of Odubu.
Sources at the assembly complex told journalists that the impeachment was informed by their inability to get Governor Adams Oshiomhole to provide funding for the assembly despite their unflinching support for the executive arm.
The sources said many lawmakers still have no official cars and several other extras usually attached to their office.
“What they have done by impeaching their leaders, whose elections were influenced by the governor is a warning shot to him to either start funding them properly or risk impeachment as well,” the source told our correspondent.
Fifteen out of the 24 members voted in favour of the impeachment on the grounds of misconduct,, incompetence, and high-handedness.
