Edo Assembly Closure: PDP Cautions Reps Against Constitutional Violation

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the order by the House of Representatives, asking the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to shut down the Edo State House of Assembly, as ‘completely unconstitutional’.

The lower chamber had asked the IGP, Mohammed Adamu, and the Director-General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi, to shut down the Edo State House of Assembly, following the adoption of a report of the House ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the crisis rocking the state Assembly.

The Party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said such action has no place in a democratic dispensation and is only obtainable in a military system.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cautions the leadership of House of Representatives to desist from actions that violate the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and could trigger a constitutional crisis in Edo state and the nation at large.

“The PDP states that no section of the 1999 Constitution confers the
House of Representatives with the powers to issue orders to a state governor or direct the shutdown of a sitting State House of Assembly.

“Whether in language or action, such is only obtainable in a military
system,” it stated.

The party also noted that such actions can encourage dictatorial tendencies and undermine the constitution.

“Our party cautions the federal legislature to note that such imperial
stance against a legislative house; a symbol of the sovereignty of the people is self-destructing and opens the fundamentals of our nation’s
democracy to unwarranted attacks.”