Edo state assembly members-elect are to face sanctions if they failed to abide by the zoning arrangement spelt out by the state leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
All the 24 members-elect are of the ruling APC and they are yet to agree on who will be the speaker and principal officers in the assembly.
It was learnt that the failure of the lawmakers-elect to agree to the choice of the party caused delay in Governor Godwin Obaseki writing a proclamation letter to the Clerk of the Assembly.
Some of the lawmakers-elect, who claimed to be ‘boys’ of the APC national chairman Adams Oshiomhole, are insisting the party allow them choose their leaders.
Sources said the lawmakers-elect have made some fresh demands on Governor Obaseki as pre-condition for adhering to the party’s zoning arrangement.
The demands, according to party source, include that the governor give them the yearly N36m for constituency projects instead of executing the projects on their behalf.
They have equally insisted on payment of all allowances owed old members, restoration of traveling allowances and other payments stopped by Obaseki.
The state APC chairman, Barr Anselm Ojezua, said Monday that there would be repercussions if the lawmakers-elect do not comply with the decision of the party.
Ojezua said the lawmakers-elect have accepted the party’s zoning arrangement and that it was left for the leadership of each zones to go into consultations and come up with recommendations to the party.
On the constituency project funds being demanded, Ojezua said the issue of constituency project was a matter of policy and opened for negotiation.
He explained that the party has nothing against legitimate claims of the lawmakers-elect.
According to him, “There are legitimate claims. The party has nothing against them making those claims if they are legitimate. I think the governor is open to discussions so long as they are willing to dialogue. They are not threatening anybody. They are just asking for what they believe will enhance service delivery to their constituencies.
“There is a way we can go into it. If there are projects they have interest, they can make input into the budget and the state will implement. There is nothing wrong if a legislature ensure a project goes to his constituency so that he can have something to show.
“The party is keeping to its own obligations and we have taken the steps we need to take. The governor has prerogative to write the proclamation letter. We don’t need to put him under pressure. He knows the importance of the parliament in a democratic system. He will do what is needful.
“There is nothing like some lawmaker being an Oshiomhole’s or Obaseki’s boys. Obaseki is Oshiomhole’s boy. There can be no other Oshiomhole’s or Obaseki’s boys. If people should give themselves name, it does not make sense to me because all of us are Oshiomhole’s product.”
