The 17 lawmakers of the Edo State House of Assembly loyal to Oshiomhole are billed to reconvene this Wednesday.
They said Tuesday that there was no going back on their decision to sit, adding that they were legitimately constituted.
The lawmakers had last week sat at an undisclosed location because they alleged that hoodlums had taken over the state assembly complex.
They had also accused the state government of removing the roof of the chamber and dumping granites and sand at the entrance to prevent them from gaining entry.
One of the resolutions reached by the lawmakers was that the police should evacuate the hoodlums whom they alleged had taken over the legislative complex.
But Tuesday, the 17 lawmakers told a media outfit (not The DEFENDER) that the police were yet to comply with their resolution.
One of the 17 members, and a member, representing Uhumwonde State Constituency, Hon. Washington Osifo, said that they would still sit whether in or out of the legislative complex.
He decried the inability of the police and other security agencies to flush out the hoodlums and provide security for them in compliance with the letter written by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
Their speaker, Hon. Victor Edoror, expressed shock that the hoodlums were still at the assembly complex despite their directive to the police and other security agencies.
He said: “I am surprised that in spite of the resolution in our last meeting to the police, the hoodlums are still there.
“I am not in Benin right now but will be back later in the day. When I come back, I will go and take an on-the-spot assessment of the complex and know the next line of action.”
Efforts to get the police’s reactions proved abortive as the relevant officers contacted did not pick their calls or respond to text messages.
The state police command had earlier pledged to be neutral in the political crisis rocking the state, which arose from the disagreement between the Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and Oshiomhole, his predecessor.
The 17 lawmakers comprise five that were hitherto in the governor’s camp, who were joined by 12 others that were surreptitiously sworn-in two weeks ago, more than a year after those loyal to the governor were inaugurated.
The speaker of the faction loyal to the governor, Hon. Frank Okiye, had earlier declared the seats of the 12 lawmakers-elect vacant.
The governor had played down the 17 lawmakers’ action, saying the decisions arising from any of their sittings would not be binding on him and the state government.
