Ekiti Assembly Speaker Impeached
From Dipo Okunmuyide in Ado-Ekiti
The will of the majority prevailed yesterday when a sweeping change was effected in the leadership of Ekiti State House of Assembly with Honourable Friday Aderemi emerging as the new speaker He replaced Honourable Sola Ajigbolamu.
The only surviving principal officer was the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Taiwo Olatunbosun who was spared in the impeachment drama which started last Friday and reached its climax yesterday.
Former Speaker of the House, Honourable Ajigbolamu had adjourned sitting after a failed attempt to remove him on Monday but the decision did not go down well with the opposing legislators who were in the majority.
The new majority leader of the house, Honourable Babade Kayode told journalists after the election of a new speaker that the former speaker did not follow the laid down rules and regulations while effecting the adjournment on Monday, saying it was not properly done.
He explained that those championing the change of leadership seized the opportunity of the irregularities in the adjournment to reconvene the sitting where the former speaker was removed yesterday.
At yesterday's sitting, the new majority leader, Honourable Babade Kayode representing Ikere-Ekiti Constituency I moved the motion for the impeachment of the speaker which was seconded by Honourable Kola Fakiyesi who is the minority leader from Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency I.
The sitting was conducted without the pressure of the former speaker and his six supporters who were mostly principal officers who were equally affected by the change leaving only the 19 members championing the impeachment to participate in the voting.
Subsequently, Honourable Bode Adewole from Ikere Constituency II nominated Honourable Friday Aderemi from Ido/Osi Constituency I as the new speaker and seconded by Honourable Ayo Benson from Ekiti South West to the endorsement of the remaining 17 members present at the sitting.
In his acceptance speech the new speaker assured members that his leadership will be open to constructive criticism and urged those in the opposing side to join hand with the new leaders in moving the state forward.
At a special parliamentary session held after the election of the new speaker, the new majority leader, Honourable Babade Kayode promised that the new leadership will correct all the inadequacies of the past 13 months, saying the removal of the former has nothing to do with the bill on local government reform sent by the executive to the house.
He explained that the former speaker was removed for weak leadership, inefficiency and for polarising the house, adding that the assembly under his leadership had no direction, no vision and transparency.
Yesterday's sitting was done amidst tight security with heavy presence of both regular and anti-riot policemen and other security agencies who blocked the road leading to the House of Assembly and turned back vehicles from entering the venue.
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