The leadership of the APC has, in collaboration with Governor Adams
Oshiomhole, finally prevailed on party members in the House of Assembly
to return the office of Speaker to Edo Central Senatorial District.
The move, Vanguard learnt, is one of the strategies being adopted by the
APC to mollify the people of the Senatorial District ahead of the
However, we learned that the principal officers of the House
disagreed with the proposal by the governor and the party leadership to
reinstate the former Speaker, Mr. Victor Edoror. While the lawmakers were
said to have agreed to move the position back to Edo Central, they
insisted that another APC lawmaker and not Edoror should be anointed.
As it seems, the lot now fell on the current Deputy Speaker, Justin
Okonoboh, who will now emerge the Speaker while Ativie will retain the
position of Deputy Speaker.
We learned that the change of guard would be effected by
Monday next week. Though the lawmakers were not too happy with the
decision of the party, it was learnt they had to execute the decision of the
party in the interest of the party, particularly ahead the forthcoming
governorship election in the state.
governorship election.
It was learnt that Governor Oshiomhole met with the leadership of the
House, including the Speaker, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie last Monday during
which time it was agreed to cede the Speakership to Central.