Impeachment: Justin Okonoboh and his torturous journey through the Edo Assembly

The ousted Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Justin Okonoboh, seems like a cat with nine lives.

From an alleged assassination attempt on his life, to near-impeachment and finally, an impeachment, the ex-Speaker can be said to have seen it all.

Concerning the assassination attempt, last February, Okonoboh had told journalists that he survived assassination attempt at Igueben Local Government Area of the state.

He said he was on his way from his constituency on that Friday of February 24, 2017, when the incident happened.

Okonoboh claimed that the incident happened when he went to settle some land issues.

His aide in the escort van told him on the phone that he should be on the alert because a Toyota Camry was following them.

“When we looked back, the car was behind my backup Hilux van. The Camry wanted to overtake the Hilux to block me but the driver did not allow them.

“The Toyota Camry struggled with the Hilux for about five kilometres and they almost crashed but did not give up.

“The policemen inside the Hilux van fired a shot into the air to scare them but that did not deter them as they kept chasing us. It happened around Ugbegun-Nebudin-Ujogba Road.

“It was when we got to the Benin-Auchi Expressway that they waved their hands to us a warning. I do not know whether they are armed robbers or kidnappers but I know that only assassins would behave the way the men did.”

And though Governor Godwin Obaseki reportedly saved him from impeachment in June, the lawmakers finally had their way on Monday, August 14, 2017, as Okonoboh was impeached and replaced with Honourable Kabiru Ajoto. Punch