The crisis rocking the Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tuesday took a violent dimension as suspected political thugs reportedly attacked and beat up the state Assembly members-elect.
Besides, Seidu Oshiomhole, a younger brother of the National Chairman of APC and immediate past governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was said to have sustained injury as he was stripped naked.
Oshiomhole and Governor Goodwin Obaseki have been embroiled in battle over the control of the state party machinery.
The attacked lawmakers-elect were believed to be loyal to the APC national chairman.
One of the lawmakers-elect, Chris Okaeben, confirmed the attack, adding that they would lodge a formal petition to the police.
The group were later seen making written statements at the state police headquarters in Benin City at about 7.pm Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, 16 lawmakers-elect have said they were not invited to the inauguration ceremony of the 7th Assembly.
The Assembly was inaugurated 10pm on Monday where only nine members believed to be loyal to Governor Obaseki attended the ceremony.
However, Washinton Osifo, a lawyer and spokesman for the lawmakers-elect, said the Clerk called around 5:30pm to inform them that he had been called to the Government House.
“The Clerk told us he would call back 30 minutes later but we didn’t hear from him,” he said, adding that “At 9:30pm, photographs began to filter into our phones suggesting that a kangaroo Assembly was being inaugurated.”
Continuing, he said, two of them were also “kidnapped” to make up the nine members.
“What they needed, because they lack understanding of what a quorum could mean, was nine members. There can be no quorum until the House is properly inaugurated,” Osifo said.
Two of the lawmakers, Eric Okaka and Nosa Okunbo, who were present at the inauguration, said they were abducted and forced to the Assembly premises to form a quorum.
