After surviving a long and painful legal battle to reclaim his electoral right from the hands and agents or enemies of democracy, Comrade Oshiomhole is set for a show down again. Barely two months into the administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, crisis appears to be brewing between Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and the Edo State house of assembly.

Oshiomhole who is still basking in the euphoria of his electoral victory through the court of looks unruffle in the current face-off with the legislators over the sack of 95 workers from Edo City Transport Service (ECTS) and the Ministry of Environment which has generated a lot of controversies over the action of the state government.

Trouble actually started when on the 17th of December, 2008, about 95 staff of ECTS were sacked on the authority of the secretary to the state government Mr Parry Iriase, who in letter, ordered the permanent secretary in the establisments to write a letter to lay off the workers in a manner considered by many as political and controversial.

This action, LEADERSHIP gathered had shattered the cordial relationship that existed between the Action Congress led administration of Oshiomhole and the PDP dorminated House of Assembly. The honourable members, whose actions were informed by a petition received, had ordered the state governor to recalled the workers with immediate effect, while calling on the workers to return back to their post.

The secretary to the state governor, Hon. Pally Iriase and a former member of the House, had appeared before the House to explain why he had to authorise the sack of the workers. The SSG, it was gathered told the House of Assembly members that his action was predicated on the 11th November court of appeal judgment which declared the acts of governance of Prof. Osunbor as nullity.

This act according him invariably means that all appointments and actions of Osunbor were illegal and cannot be recognised by the Oshiomhole’s administration.

An Action Congress member , Hon. Paul Ohonbamu, member of the Edo State House of Assembly and Minority Leader, openly opposed the move by the state government, arguing that acts of Osunbor could not be said to be illegal, adding that this was why the house cannot be re-proclaimed, having been proclaim by Professor Oserheimen Osunbor.

Hon. Ohonbamu told LEADERSHIP that afterall Osunbor first official assignment was the inauguration and swearing in of the assembly members, "so, are you now saying the member of the house are illegal members".

Impeccable source disclosed that majority members of the house are battle ready for the Comrade Governor as soon as legislative matters for the year commences.

According to our source who rave for anonymity said that plans are being perfected if Oshiomhole did not recall the workers which may amount to impeachment move against him,since the PDP controls the maority.

Observers of this development are disturbed as the development might be a huge distraction for the governor whose major assignment is to bring Edo State back to its lost glory rather than engaging in a battle with legislators dominated by the opposition party.

LEADERSHIP

learnt that the legislators are anxious to receive list of commissioners from the governor and his budget proposal for 2009. Oshiomhole, according to an insider, might not have an easy ride from the house over the governors decision that the workers will not be recalled.

The state government in justifying their stand through the secretary to the state government told LEADERSHIP that the sacked workers were employed and imposed on the government by a "godfather" by the erstwhile administration of Osunbor and that due process in the employment of the workers was not followed.

In supporting the action of the state governement, the National President of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) and a governorship candidate in the April 2007 guber elections, Dr Solomon Edibiri, was of the view that if Oshiomhole has come to create job that did not mean that we should support illegality. PDP, he said is not a quality party that can do things that are organised ‘’ I think what Oshiomhole is saying is that due process was not followed, anything Oshiomhole is doing to eradicate illegality, I will support him"

The Nigeria Labour Congress of the state chapter had also reacted to the sack of these workers, the body, it was gathered had vowed to resist any attempt by the governor not recall them back to their duties.

To confirm that all is not well in the state between the governor and the legislators, immediately the house ordered the sacked workers to resume to their duties, Oshiomhole, it was gathered had called for the leadership of the house for a close door meeting in government house over the opposing stand of the house.

The meeting, according to an insider, ended in a dead lock as the speaker was said to have stormed out of the meeting.

What LEADERSHIP cannot authoritatively revealed now is whether Oshiomhole will rely on the labour activism to survive the storm or whether the house would eat their vomit, only time shall tell.