Members-elect of the Ekiti State House of Assembly have said they would not be rubber stamps for the state governor, Ayodele Fayose, a man they all described as their mentor and leader.
This was disclosed yesterday at a press conference in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
Speaking on behalf of the Members-elect, Kola Oluwawole, Moba 1 constituency, insisted that any matter brought before the Assembly by Fayose would be thoroughly scrutinized and be delibrated in the interest of the people, adding that the Assembly would protect the principles of separation of powers, regardless of the fact that they belong to the same party with the governor.
Oluwawole said: “The next Assembly won’t be a rubber stamp. We are going to give the people robust legislation through thorough and dispassionate debate of issues brought before us.
“We can disagree with the governor if that will make Ekiti better, but that will not truncate our relationship as brothers and sisters. We will do exactly what the constitution empowers us to do, which is to serve as checks and balances to the executive.
“The Lagos and Osun assemblies in the South-West were populated by members of the All Progressives Congress; does that make them a rubber stamp? So, it will be wrong for people to think we are going to be a rubber stamp because we are Fayose’s loyalists.”
Speaking on the impeachment crisis rocking the state House of Assembly, the Members-elect said they already reached out to Speaker Adewale Omirin on the need for him to tread the path of honour but that they were rebuffed.
Oluwawole said: “Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State inherited a PDP-dominated Assembly from Prof. (Oserheimen) Osunbor, but he was not driven out of town because of this. Omirin and the other APC lawmakers should forget about personal ambitions and give the needed cooperation to the governor.
“It is an understatement to say that the APC has continued to find ways to destroy the government and make Ekiti ungovernable. You cannot but notice the underhand deals of these legislators, the scandalous and moral bankruptcy that had reduced Ekiti to a state of anomie in the last six months.
“It is disheartening to see supposed men of honour descend so low and bring shame and odium, not only to the government but to their state and made their people a laughing stock in the eyes of other Nigerians.
“Ekiti people are people with high integrity. This unnecessary hullabaloo has dealt a devastating blow on our moral psyche and our image as a people has been seriously battered.
“We are calling on the people to appeal to the conscience of the APC lawmakers and their sponsors to stop the demonisation of our governor and the PDP as a party.
“They are advised to stop these destructive campaigns and focus on issues of development.”
