Honourable Frank Okiye, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly has refuted claims of his impeachment.
According to him, “There are no seventeen lawmakers anymore; anywhere.”
The report from Edo State Thursday was that seventeen lawmakers, including the fourteen lawmakers-elect whose seats were declared vacant, had convened and impeached Okiye and Roland Asoro as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, respectively.
It was learnt that the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, was allegedly elected at an undisclosed location in Benin City during an emergency plenary session attended by 17 elected members.
Edoror is the lawmaker representing Esan Central constituency.
Emmanuel Agbaje, representing Akoko Edo constituency II, was also elected as Deputy Speaker while the 14 members-elect were also inaugurated at the sitting in Benin.
But speaking on Channels Television, Okiye said: “Well let me say I’m being dragged into all these issues when there’s no basis as a matter of fact.
“I must confess that there are no 17 lawmakers anymore anywhere. The 14 lawmakers whose seats were declared vacant have lost the status.
“So I do not know where they can get the authority to reconvene the House outside the legislative premises.”