Hon Elisabeth Ativie, who is the immediate past Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, has made it known to the new leadership of the House that she has sold one of the official vehicles, a Lexus Jeep 2016 model, which was given to her when she was Speaker.
Hon Ativie was Speaker of the House for just 84 days, after which she stepped down for Justin Okonoboh to take over as Speaker, in order to ensure a balance of power among the three Senatorial districts. She then became Deputy to Okonoboh. However, they were both impeached in a violent session on Monday, August 14, 2017.
In a letter dated August 16, and signed by the Clerk of the Assembly, James Omoataman, Hon Ativie was asked to return the official vehicles allocated to her before the impeachment. The vehicles listed in the letter include one Prado Jeep, two Hilux vans, and one Lexus Jeep 2016 model.
In her reply through her Counsel, Hon Ativie said that she had already registered the vehicles in her name, and sold one of them as the bona fide owner. She claimed that the vehicles were given to her permanently by the former Governor of the State, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, as compensation for stepping down for Okonoboh.
Hon Ativie told the new House leadership that the vehicles were no longer official vehicles of the Edo State House of Assembly. She further went on to quote a part of the letter written by the former Governor to read, “Given the exceptional circumstances surrounding the issues and in an explicit acknowledgement of the enormous sacrifices you were required to make for the peace, security, stability and well-being of our beloved State, the official vehicles attached to the office of the Speaker are now yours.”
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