Ex-Speaker Okiye Counts His Blessings, Says Tenure Was God Ordained

 

         Okiye (l) at the Thanksgiving

Hendrix Oliomogbe

For former Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Frank Okiye, it was time recently, for a Thanksgiving and to count his blessings, at Christ Chosen Church of God, Airport Road, Benin, after his stint as a lawmaker for Esan North East 1 Constituency.

Looking back at the event which led to the night time inauguration of the House in June 2019, Okiye who spoke at the event remarked that he had no doubt whatsoever, that the beginning and end of his tenure as speaker, was God ordained.

Waxing philosophical, the ex-speaker, whose tenure ended in June, noted that against all odds, a government was established, through this able leadership as the head of the third arm of government. 

The People's Democratic Party) PDP) politician told the congregation which included incumbent Speaker Blessing Agbebaku (Owan West) and a host of others that against the backdrop of the circumstances of the political tension he met, he was very sure that God instituted his nomination, his election and  election as speaker by the honourable members.

He said: "I believe that God is firmly in control. I want to reel out just few points. God instituted my nomination, my election and my election as speaker by the honourable members barring all the circumstances I met as the speaker, barring all the forces that stood against me in the House and the government at the time. 

"We became victorious. A government was able to be established and through my leadership as the head of the third arm of government. Nobody should doubt that from the beginning and the end as speaker was God ordained. When the children of God were paying and celebrating with God, the devil was also found in their midst. So we were not surprised of any form of attack."

"In the faces of all of that we came out stronger and better. I feel very fulfilled and not bitter. I could have started all form of challenges but God gave me the grace to stay on and on. I said to myself this time around that I wanted to disengage honourably and God saved me from all manners of controversies."

As a former speaker, he said that he broke the jinx and set a new record for an unprecedented third term in his native Esan North East 1 Constituency, adding that he saw it all and did all that God wanted him to exhibit.

                  Okiye (l) and Agbebaku