Edo Residents Protest, Pelt Speaker’s Picture With Tomatoes Over Electricity Theft Bill

Angry protesters were at the Edo state Assembly complex in Benin, today, Thursday, to demonstrate their rejection of a bill passed by the Assembly on Electricity Theft.

The protesters, who accused the Speaker and the Majority Leader, Hon Roland Asoro of collusion and a grand conspiracy to keep the state in darkness, pelted the Speaker’s image with tomatoes, oranges, waste and other reductive things to show their disgust at his leadership and conduct.

The Bill for a law to provide for Electricity theft and other related offences, as shown in the picture attached, was sponsored by Hon. Roland Asoro, the Majority Leader of the House.

Our sources say the Bill was introduced by Roland Asoro with support from the Governor, Godwin Obaseki, who is trying to secure a re-emergence for Roland as the Majority Leader in the next Assembly, against the wishes of the party leaders of his Senatorial District.

The Bill would have been immediately given assent by Godwin Obaseki since it managed to scale the legislative process. However, seeing the negative reaction of the public, and in a bid to avoid compounding his already gigantic woes, Godwin Obaseki has denied links to the Bill and has directed the protection of Roland Asoro who doubles as his informant and puppet.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House Committee on Power and Electricity, Chris Okaeben, has described the legislative process applied to the Bill as unprocedural. He says no public hearing was held, and this denied all interest groups and stakeholders involved a chance to make inputs and ensure it covers their interests.

Chris Okaeben also said, despite his position as Chairman of House Committee on Power and Electricity, and the Bill falling within his purview, he was never consulted by either the Speaker, Kabiru Adjoto, or Roland Asoro who sponsored the Bill. This, according to him, is part of the reasons they are facing serious problems as he would have advised appropriately if consulted.

It should be noted that Chris Okaeben has been unable to represent his people in the Assembly for over a month following threats to life by those empowered and motivated by the Governor’s unconstitutional desire to evict him from the House.

The public anger the Bill generated has turned it into an orphan as its chief sponsor, Roland Asoro who acted under the instruction of Godwin Obaseki, is denying involvement.