Mayhem At Edo State House Of Assembly As Two Speakers Reign

There was pandemonium at the King’s Square, otherwise known as Ring Road in Benin City, Edo State yesterday morning as policemen tried to dis- lodge political thugs who invaded the state House of Assembly.
Some women reportedly fainted at the nearby Oba Market, while motorists quickly reversed their vehicles. Many people scampered for safety, as the policemen fired several teargas canisters into the air.

The crisis followed Mon- day’s indefinite suspension of four former All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the House, who recently defected to the Peoples Demo- cratic Party (PDP).
The suspended members and their five PDP col- leagues, led by the Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea, were said to have broken into the Assembly Chambers and

had a session during which they in a counter-action, suspended the Speaker, Uyi Igbe, the majority leader and six others.
They were said to be leav- ing the chambers of the Assembly after their hurried sitting that lasted about 10 minutes when the Speaker, Igbe, leading the other 14 lawmakers into the chamber for the day’s legislative business, clashed with them.
During the free-for-all, some of the lawmakers were said to have sustained inju-

ries, even as suspected thugs exploited the confusion to invade the premises of the Assembly.
Addressing journalists, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Kabiru Adjoto, described what happened as very un- fortunate and laughable.
When contacted, Edo State Commissioner of Po- lice, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, confirmed the arrest of some suspects in connection with the House of Assembly cri- sis.