Edo Assembly recalls suspended ex-deputy speaker
THE Edo State House of Assembly yesterday recalled representative of Uhunmwonde constituency and in the House, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie.
The leadership of the House said she had returned all the vehicles belonging to the Assembly in her possession as requested.
Her recall is coming five months after she was removed as Deputy Speaker and suspended for refusing to return official vehicles attached to her office.
She is the only female member in the House. The new leadership of the house headed by its Speaker, Kabiru Adjoto, had directed that Ativie shortly after it took over in August 2017 to return the three vehicles in her pos- session, but she had claimed that the vehicles were given to her by the leadership of the party.
She was consequently suspended until yesterday.
On resumption of plenary for the 2018 session, Chairman of the committee set up to investigate the matter involving the former Deputy Speaker, Victor Edoror submitted the report before the members, saying that Ativie had returned the vehicles and also cooperated with the committee during its investigation.
He said the committee recommended that her suspension be lifted so that she could continue to represent her constituency.
Adjoto commended the committee for its work and noting, “The committee has told us that she appeared before it and has done all that is required of her, including returning the vehicles in her possession.
“So we are happy that our sister has played her part and consequently with the agreement of the entire House her suspension has been lifted and we expect her to resume her duties as the lawmaker representing Uhunmwonde.”
The Coalition of Uhunmwode had protested Ativie’s suspension, saying her continued suspension amounted to political victimisation and had denied them representation in the house.
The protesters were received by Edoror who told them that the lifting of the suspension of Ativie was being delayed because she had refused to appear before the committee set up to investigate her.