By Ikhili Monday EBALU, Benin City

Traditional rulers from Akoko-Edo local government area of Edo state has dissociated themselves from some traditional rulers from Edo North and Edo Central senatorial districts who called for the return of the speakership of the State House of Assembly to Edo central.

Recall that some traditional rulers from Edo North senatorial district led by the Otaru of Auchi, Aliru Momoh and those from Central senatorial districts had August 14,2017 at a meeting at the Palace of the Otaru, condemned the impeachment of Justin Okonoboh as speaker of the Edo state house of assembly and the subsequent emergence of Kabiru Adjoto as the new speaker.

The traditional ruler also called for the return of the speakership to the Edo central senatorial district to balance the political leadership equation of the state.

The governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki is from Edo South central district, his deputy Philip Shaibu, Edo North while Justin Okonoboh, the impeached speaker was from Edo central senatorial.

He was however replaced by Adjoto Kabiru, Akoko-Edo constituency 1 from Edo North senatorial district.

The Akoko-Edo traditional council who were at the Edo State House of Assembly to pay solidarity visit to the new speaker, Adjoto Kabiru as well as appreciated the state’s legislators for their wise decision noted that by the appointment the new speaker has broken the jinx for being the first speaker from the locality.

The chairman of Akoko-Edo traditional council, Eshimokhai Idogu 111,  the Olokpe of Okpe who spoke for other ten traditional rulers said the local government which is the oldest in the country had since the defunct Midwest region and Bendel state to now Edo state never produced governor, deputy governor, speaker, deputy speaker of the state house of assembly.

Idogun said the emergence of the Adjoto Kabiru in the last August 14, 2017 following the impeachment of Justin Okonoboh as speaker has broken the jinx.

According to him, we are traditional rulers from Akoko-Edo, the local government of the speaker of the Edo state House of Assembly, Adjoto Kabiru. We are here for solidarity visit and to say that all the people of Akoko-Edo local government area are solidly behind him.

“We want to put on record that the Akoko-Edo traditional  do not recognized the so called Edo North traditional council. There is no law establishing Edo North traditional council. Each council is autonomous and whatever might have transpired in any palace or council we are not part of it. Therefore we have called here to pay a solidarity visit to the new speaker and to assure him that we are solidly behind him”, he said.

Idogu who said the traditional rulers from Akoko-Edo were invited to the meeting that took place at the palace of Otaru of Auchi pointed out that they were not subject to any traditional ruler as they were autonomous.

He said the resolutions at the palace of Otaru of Auchi were null, void and unconstitutional and not bidding on them.

Also speaking, the traditional ruler of Somorika, Sule Idaiye, Imah IV, urged other traditional rulers in the state to concentrate on challenges that are confronting their various domain instead of meddling in politics.

“We are traditional rulers and not legislator. Any traditional ruler that wants to be a legislator should voluntarily resign his appointment and contest for election”, he added.

In his response, the speaker of the house, Adjoto Kabiru tanked the traditional rulers for the visits as well as appreciating the members for deeming him worthy to be the speaker of the house.

He assured that his leadership will collaborate with the governor of the state to deliver the much dividends of democracy to the people of the state.