Daily Independent Online.
*
Wednesday, July 21, 2004.
At last, Ekiti Speaker impeached
By David Atalese
Special
Correspondent,
Ado-Ekiti
The Speaker of the
Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr. Sola Ajigbolamu, at loggerhead with Governor
Ayodele Fayose was on Tuesday finally impeached by the House.
A total of 19
legislators voted for his impeachment against seven others including the
Speaker who stayed away from the Assembly Chambers.
Mr. Friday Aderemi,
who was the deputy speaker, succeeded Ajigbolamu as he was unanimously elected
the new Speaker by the House. Other elected officers are Mr. Taiwo Olatunbosun,
majority leader; Mr. Babade Kayode, deputy majority leader; Mr. Tunji Akinyele,
chief whip; Mr. Muyiwa Abegunde, Majority leader and Mr. Ayo Adekoya, minority
whip. The Deputy Speaker, Mr.
Taiwo Olatunbosun, who presided over the business of the House had informed
members about the matter of urgent attention to be discussed by the two third
majority of the members who were present.
Ahead of
Tuesday’s deliberations, the former Speaker on Monday had removed all the
principal officers of the House, except the deputy speaker and later adjourned
sitting till Wednesday.
When proceeding
commenced on Tuesday, the new Majority Leader, Mr. Babade Kayode, moved the
motion for the impeachment of the former Speaker, arguing that there was the
need for a change in the leadership of the House in order to move the
legislature and the state forward.
The motion was
supported by all the legislators who said the impeachment was not midwifed by
the governor, who had personally conducted “in house impeachment”
of Ajigbolamu last Friday night.
At the meeting with
the governor at the Government House, 22 of the legislators voted for the
removal of the speaker.
Following the impeachment
of the Speaker on Tuesday, the new Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Tunji Akinyele,
told his colleagues that there should be no vaccuum in the office of the
Speaker and nominated Mr. Friday Aderemi, who was accepted, which loud ovation
by the members.
