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Edo Crisis: Anyone That Fights Governor Obaseki Undermines Sovereignty Of Edo State, Says Oyegun

The National Assembly had threatened to take over the Edo State House of Assembly if the governor failed to heed its order.

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A former National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, says the resolution of the National Assembly on a sitting governor makes a mockery of the state’s sovereignty as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

He made the statement in reaction to the decision of the National Assembly which gave a one-week ultimatum to the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to issue a fresh proclamation to the clerk of the house for the inauguration of the state assembly.

The National Assembly had threatened to take over the Edo State House of Assembly if the governor failed to heed its order.

But Oyegun warned those he described as “detractors” not to destabilize good governance in Edo State.

He said this at the weekend in Benin while speaking with journalists in preparation for his 80th birthday celebration.

“What is happening is a mystery to me, and for funny reasons, we have been unable to get the story behind the story. All I know is that we have a government and the voice of the people says Obaseki deserves all the support that he can get,” he said.

According to him, if anyone wanted to destabilize the state by removing Obaseki, that person was wrong, noting that the governor was delivering good governance to the people and should be supported.

He explained that the issue in contention was before a competent court and that the nation had a constitution that bonded everybody, wondering why the National Assembly or anybody would issue instructions to a sovereign governor.

“I am shocked and amazed, but I believe that in the coming weeks and months, the law will prevail. I call on all parties in the dispute to be law-abiding and allow the nation’s constitution prevail irrespective of the interests of some powerful persons in the corridors of power,” he said.

Oyegun claimed that as a former governor and national chairman of APC he did not interfere in the affairs of Edo State, DailyTrust reports.

“I have never interfered in the running of the state, but strangely, same is not the case, and it is sad as people fail to realize we have two sovereignties: that of the president which reflects the nation and also the governors that reflect the states. Anyone that fights the governor undermines the sovereignty of the people of the state,” he pointed out.

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