By John Mayaki
The illegal Speaker of Edo State, Frank Okiye has suffered yet another indignity following his exclusion from a close-door meeting between Speakers of State Assemblies and President Muhammadu Buhari at the Villa.
The meeting presently ongoing in Abuja is said to be also attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, Permanent Secretary, State House, Jamil Arabi and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters.
Frank Okiye didn’t get any invite as he is not recognized by the Presidency or other agencies of government in the country as the substantive Speaker of the Edo Assembly.
Weeks back, Frank Okiye was also skipped when invitation to the Speakers conference, a gathering of leaders of state legislatures in the country where issues with nationwide consequence are deliberated and resolutions passed, was sent to all other duly elected Speakers.
The clear ostracizing of Frank Okiye by the Presidency and other State Assemblies in the country is in agreement with the resolve of both arms of the National Assembly that he is an illegal Speaker who emerged from a sham inauguration ceremony characterized by thuggery, intimidation and threats carried out at the behest of Godwin Obaseki.
The refusal of Godwin Obaseki to heed the resolution of the National Assembly and issue a fresh proclamation for an inclusive inauguration ceremony has reportedly angered many in the Presidency who have grown tired of his recklessness, dictatorship and disregard for legal processes.
The illegal status of Frank Okiye and the partial Assembly he lords over has also scared away investors from the state considering that any license or approval passed by the present Assembly is null and void.