A fresh crisis may be brewing in the Edo State House of Assembly as the impeached Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie, has held on to the cars, which the House directed her to return to new principal officers, claiming that the cars were given to her as gifts by a former governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
The member representing Igueben constituency, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, and Ativie were on Monday impeached by 19 out of the 24 members of the House.
The clerk in a letter of reminder to Ativie, dated August 16, 2017, directed Ativie to return the official vehicles and hand over the keys to him.
But Ativie, who represents Uhunmwonde Constituency and the only female member of the House, claimed the vehicles, comprising a 2016 Lexus jeep, one Prado jeep and two Hilux vans, were officially given to her for personal use by Oshiomhole.
“After the vehicles were given, our client went to the licence office with the said letter and registered the vehicles in her name. In the exercise of her bona fide right of ownership, our client has sold one of the vehicles (Lexus jeep, 2016 model),” Ativie’s lawyer claimed.
