A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said the resolution of the National Assembly to a sitting governor was a mockery of a state’s sovereignty as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution. Oyegun said this at the weekend in Benin while speaking with journalists in preparatory to his 80th birthday anniversary celebration.

The National Assembly had, last week, given one week ultimatum to the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, to issue a fresh proclamation to the Clerk for the inauguration of the state assembly, threatening that it will take over the house if the governor failed.

He warned those he described as detractors not to destabilise good governance in Edo State. “What is happening is a mystery to me and for funny reasons; we have been unable to get the story behind the story. All I know is that we have a government and the voice of the people says Obaseki deserves all the support that he can get,” he said.

He explained that the issue in contention is before a competent court, arguing that the nation has a constitution that binds everybody. He therefore, wondered why the National Assembly or anybody would issue instructions to a sovereign governor.

“I am shocked and amazed but I believe that in the coming weeks and months, the law will prevail. I called on all parties in the dispute to be law-biding and allow the nation’s constitution to prevail irrespective of the interests of some powerful persons in the corridors of power,” he said.

Oyegun said, as a former governor and National Chairman of APC, he never interfered in the affairs and running of Edo State. “I have never interfered in the running of the state but strangely same is not the case and it is sad as people fail to realise we have two sovereignties: that of the president which reflects the nation and also the governors that reflects the states. Anyone that fights the governor undermines the sovereignty of the people of the state,” he said. (Daily Trust)

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