Ekiti lawmakers drop Speaker
- Delta House adjourns to August 4
From Ifedayo Sayo (Ado-Ekiti) and Sunny Ogefere (Asaba)
THE impeachment of the principal officers of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, which began on Monday was concluded yesterday with the removal of the Speaker, Mr. Sola Ajigbolamu.
At a parliamentary meeting on Monday, the House had dropped the Majority Leader, Mr. Sule Longe, Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Deji Akinola, the Chief Whip, Mr. Gbadebo Ibuoye and Deputy Chief Whip, Mr. Olubunmi Olugbade.
Also yesterday, the Delta State House of Assembly hurriedly adjourned sitting to August 4, 2004, ostensibly to check the brewing leadership crisis in the House.
Ekiti House Deputy Speaker, Mr. Franklin Taiwo Olatunbosun, presided over the proceedings where 19 of his colleagues voted for the impeachment of his former boss.
The motion for Ajigbolamu's removal was moved by the new Majority Leader, Mr. Babade Kayode. He was supported by the 18 other lawmakers in attendance.
Ajigbolamu was replaced by Mr. Friday Aderemi (Ido/Osi I) whose nomination was moved by Mr. Bode Adewole and endorsed by 18 of the 26-member legislature.
The election was conducted by the Acting Clerk of the House Mr. Akintunde Famoyegun who later administered the oath of office and allegiance on Aderemi.
The session was boycotted by Ajigbolamu and six of his supporters.
The lawmakers were Ibuwoye Olugbade, Lekan Osasona, Longe Omoniyi, Ajaja and Mr. Olusola Ojo Omobayo.
Reacting to Ajigbolamu's impeachment, Olugbade accused Governor Ayo Fayose of masterminding the scheme.
He said that the former principal officers were not impeached, but resigned from their offices when they discovered that Fayose was bent on removing them.
Ajigbolamu could not be reached for his comment.
But the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, cautioned against dragging the governor into the saga, saying that the removal of the Speaker was the sole decision of the lawmakers.
He said: "If the honourable members decided to change the House leadership, it's purely the internal affairs of the House, which does not have any input from the Governor."
"Four months ago, an attempt was made by the House to remove the Speaker over incompetence. The saving grace came from Governor Fayose who appealed to the aggrieved legislators.
"If a year after the legislators still feel that the House is not getting good leadership, the House is free as an independent arm of government to change its own leadership. The governor should not be dragged into the matter," he stated.
Ajigbolamu's removal was warded off on Monday by his supporters who claimed that the mover of the motion, Mr. Muyiwa Abegunde did not put the House on notice.
He, therefore, adjourned the sitting of the House to today for other business. But the 19 legislators calling for his removal had a parliamentary meeting where they decided that the Assembly should reconvene yesterday.
The lawmakers before impeaching Ajigbolamu yesterday accused him of poor leadership, which they claimed had led to the failure of the Assembly to effectively perform its duties.
The former Speaker reportedly ran into trouble waters when he opposed a bill seeking to empower the governor to remove any "erring" council chairman or councillor without following the constitutional provision.
In his acceptance speech, Aderemi said he would make transparency and accountability his watchwords.
Aderemi said the spirit of co-operation and collaboration between the Executive and the House would be encouraged and sustained.
The Delta House was billed to resume sitting yesterday but at 7.30 a.m., heavily armed policemen took over the premises, searching everyone before they were allowed in.
Although the workers reported for duty, a few lawmakers came to the complex. There were speculations that some persons planned to invade the House.
Sources claimed that the heavy presence of securitymen at the Assembly was informed by a rumour that the four suspended members of the House were to storm the chambers with their supporters to join their colleagues in the day's proceedings as ordered by an Asaba High Court.
The court had restrained the House from suspending the legislators and asked them to resume sittings. They would have completed their suspension on August 2.
In a statement, the Clerk of the House, Mr. Jacob Iyamu, said that the adjournment was to enable the various committees conclude their assignments. The Guardian, however, learnt that it was meant to ensure that the four lawmakers complete their suspension.
The House has also entered a formal appearance in the suit at the Asaba High Court.
The suspended members are Messrs Ejaife Odebala, Misan Ukubeyinje, Festus Agas and Basil Ganagana.
Last month, a committee of the House indicted them of plotting to unseat the leadership of the House and recommended their suspension.
