Ekiti Assembly crisis deepens

REPORT FROM NEWSWATCH TIMES

(NIGERIA) The embattled Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Omirin, announced yesterday that 19 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) sat in the state capital, Ado Ekiti, and suspended the Speaker of the pro-Fayose factional lawmakers, Hon. Dele Olugbemi.

In a swift reaction, the state government dismissed the APC sitting, describing it as a huge joke that should be disregarded by serious-minded people.

Omirin in a telephone conversation with newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday said part of the decisions taken at their sitting was the suspension of the pro-Fayose Speaker and six other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of the House.

Omirin further announced that the sitting by his faction of the lawmakers is a continuous exercise, pointing out that they would henceforth conduct their business of lawmaking at the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti. He said the APC lawmakers consequently directed the seven suspended PDP lawmakers to face the Ethics and Privileges Committee of the House.

But the Special Assistant to the governor on Information and News Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, said the government does not recognise any Assembly sitting outside the parliament building.

“How can some persons who claim to be representatives of the people abandon their parliamentary assignments to engage in this type of childish drama? Why didn’t they have their sitting in the Ekiti State parliament building?

The government’s spokesman said since the impeached Speaker has gone to court to seek redress, he should wait for the outcome of the case before embarking on any act of illegality.

On his part, Omirin explained that the litigation challenging his removal from office does not stop the lawmakers from sitting.

He said his faction resolved to relocate the sittings of the House to the campus of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), citing the “security situation in the state” in the last one month, and the taking over of the Assembly complex by thugs and miscreants “who have been mobilized to kill and destroy.”

He said the lawmakers at the plenary voted in favour of the local government autonomy and constitutional amendment giving autonomy to the House of Assembly.

Other constitutional amendments that received the legislative approval of the lawmakers is Section 8 of the Constitution, which confers citizenship rights and privileges on Nigerians anywhere they are living in the country.

Omirin said they also approved autonomy for the offices of Accountant General and Auditor General of the state as part of their constitution amendment duty.

According to him, all the 19 APC legislators were present with the Mace of the House at the plenary.

He said the first issue on the Order Paper was the motion to reconvene at a public place within the state capital, outside the House of Assembly chambers in view of security breach in and around the Assembly complex. The motion was reportedly moved by the Majority Leader, Mr. Churchill Adedipe.

The Deputy Speaker, Chief Adetunji Orisalade (Ido/Odi 2) seconded the motion.

The second matter on the Order Paper, according to Omirin, was the suspension of the seven PDP lawmakers who “impeached” the Speaker and “elected” Olugbemi.

Adedipe (Irepodun/Ifelodun 1), who also moved the motion, said the House had witnessed drama in the last one month with the seven PDP lawmakers violating the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the House Standing Order by several illegal actions.

He argued that the purported impeachment of Omirin, the “election” of Olugbemi and the “change” of leadership portrayed the House in bad light hence the need to suspend the seven lawmakers to save the integrity of the Assembly.

The Majority Leader alleged that the seven lawmakers gave false information to the public by accusing the 19 APC legislators of receiving bribe.

The motion to suspend the PDP legislators was seconded by Mrs. Omowumi Ogunlola (Ijero Constituency). They were thus suspended for violating Section 96 (1) of the Constitution.

Those suspended include Olugbemi (Ikole 2); Mrs. Abeni Olayinka (Ado 2); Mr. Adeyinka Adeloye (Ikole 1); Mr. Alexander Adeojo (Ekiti South West 2); Mr. Olowo Ajiboye (Oye 2); Mr. Dele Ajibola (Ekiti East 2); and Mrs. Ayo Olajide-Fatunbi (Moba 2) for violating Section 96 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.