Edo Assembly: Lawmakers hold secret meeting, as ESSN take over complex

Following the suspension of three members of the Edo State House of Assembly, security has been beefed up in the House in a bid to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

The Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, had at plenary on Monday, suspended three members for allegedly plotting to effect a change of leadership in the house as well as a “juju scare”.

The suspended lawmakers are two Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members and one All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain.

The lawmakers are Okogbe Donald, PDP, Akoko-Edo II, Addeh Isibor, APC, Esan North-East I and Iyamu Bright, PDP, Orhionmwon II.

Agbebaku, who said the trio were suspended indefinitely, alleged that they were being influenced by external forces to cause chaos and remove the leadership of the house.

However, on Tuesday, the press observed that armed personnel of the Edo State Security Vigilante Networks (ESSN) took over the premises of the assembly.

The legislators who were to resume plenary at 9am, were still not within the precinct of the House at 1pm. They were reported to be holding meetings in an undisclosed location in the state.

The legislative chamber was under lock and key while staff were waiting anxiously for the lawmakers to resume for them to know the outcome of the meeting.

A staff member who spoke to journalists  on condition of anonymity, said, we are anxiously waiting for the lawmakers to resume today’s sitting.

“We were told that they are in a meeting. We want to know the outcome of the meeting, and whether they have settled their difference.

“We want them to resolve their differences amicably and work together as one family for the interest of the state and their constituency”, he said.

Recall  that while announcing the suspension of the three lawmakers, Blessing Agbebaku, also alleged that some persons brought native doctors into the house at midnight on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, to make some demonic incantations and dropped charms in the assembly complex.

The suspension of the lawmakers, however, created tension in the house as the affected lawmakers kicked against their suspension.