THE Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday rejected the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Festus Ebea, claiming that due process was not followed and that the meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the Government House was a “travesty of plenary.”

 The party also received a son of the Oba of Benin and Executive Director of Governor’s Office, Osama Erediauwa, who said he resigned his appointment “this morning” and “want to be part of the change in Edo.”

 Addressing newsmen, the state PDP Chairman, Dan Orbih, described the meeting of the APC lawmakers as illegal and a breach of the principles of separation of powers, adding that the PDP lawmakers would resume sitting in the House of Assembly complex on Monday.

  “For a faction to hold plenary in Government House is not only abnormal but a calculated attempt to rubbish the principle of separation power,” Orbih said. “Before now, we have raised alarm that he wanted to have full control of the judiciary, he has achieved that and has now turned to the legislature.

   “Those APC members have no business going to the Government House to conduct the sitting. They need two third to remove the speaker and they didn’t meet it.”

   However, the state APC Chairman, Anselm Ojezua, in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday, insisted that the action was legal. According to him, “the opposition ignorantly makes noise about the number of members that can remove the deputy speaker from office by claiming that the House did not meet the 2/3 requirement.

  “For the avoidance of doubt, the notice of impeachment of Festus Ebea was signed by 16 members of the House.  This clearly was more than the 13 signatures required to impeach him.

   “It must be borne in mind that with the suspension of four members, only 20 members are, for now, legitimately entitled to attend and participate in any legislative business of the House of Assembly.”