A mild drama took place on Monday at the Ekiti State House of Assembly following speculations the 19 legislators elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress were planning to hold a session to impeach Governor Ayodele Fayose.
The roads leading to the assembly were barricaded by top members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Those who barricaded the roads included the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kolapo Olusola; a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Tunji Odeyemi; the Special Assistant to Governor Ayo Fayose on Information, Lanre Ogunsuyi; and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka.
The action was to prevent the APC lawmakers from executing the alleged plan.
It was gathered that the Peoples Democratic Party topshots got to its secretariat earlier in the day and discussed issues bordering on the impeachment threat that had generated so much anxiety in the state and the April 11 House of Assembly election.
Major roads blocked by the PDP stalwarts were the popular Secretariat-Assembly Road named after the the late Deputy Speaker, Hon. Saliu Adeoti, and adjoining roads.
The roads were blocked with nine Hilux vans belonging to the police and the Department of State Services.
Also, fierce-looking armed personnel were stationed at the two entrances of the Assembly Complex.
The PDP leaders danced to the music being supplied in front of the old Assembly complex, where they were restricted to by security agencies.
Some of them sat quietly under the canopies erected in front of the old Assembly complex about two poles away from the new complex.
Ogunsuyi told journalists that the Hon. Adewale Omirin-led lawmakers erred in law by claiming that they had sent a notice of impeachment to Fayose.
He said it was a complete misfire for Omirin to be claiming speakership while also challenging his impeachment in the court of law.
He said: “The new Nigeria which President Goodluck Jonathan and Major General Muhammadu Buhari all campaigned for is the one that would respect the rule of law.
“With this convergence, you can see that the people are standing by their governor.
“They are ready to defend their mandate.
“Nobody asked Omirin and other APC lawmakers not to come to the Assembly.
“They only decided to abdicate their duties since last year November 17.
“Impeachment procedure does not start and end with Assembly alone.
“The judiciary is involved.
“So this plan is highly condemnable.
“We want to emphasize that they are welcome as long as they are concerned about making laws for the progress of the state.
“But if it was meant to come and impeach Governor Fayose, we won’t allow that.”
Ogunsuyi said Fayose, as the leader of the state, will continue to spread the olive branch to the lawmakers for the state to remain in peace and harmony.
He said: “We don’t want any unwholesome issue because the task of developing Ekiti is an onerous task that needed to be pursue with vigour.
“The governor doesn’t want any distraction and that is why he has been pursuing peace at all times.
“We want some measures of decorum in Ekiti.
“We are not proud of the era whereby we had three governors within a week.
“We want a stable government and that we will continue to pursue for Ekiti to be at peace.”
Similarly, a former Speaker, Hon. Tunji Odeyemi, advised the APC lawmakers to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign.
Odeyemi urged them to put the interest of the state beyond parochial reasoning, saying any breakdown of law and order would affect everybody, regardless of political affiliations.
He said: “The entire issue calls for concern.
“As a former legislator, I am quite aware of the rudiment of impeachment process.
“How would they perceive Ekiti as a people nationwide?
“So, I am calling on my colleagues to have a rethink because we are duty bound to contribute to the development of this state.
“I plead with them to embrace reconciliation and forget about heating up the polity unnecessarily.”
The roads leading to the assembly were barricaded by top members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Those who barricaded the roads included the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kolapo Olusola; a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Tunji Odeyemi; the Special Assistant to Governor Ayo Fayose on Information, Lanre Ogunsuyi; and the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka.
The action was to prevent the APC lawmakers from executing the alleged plan.
It was gathered that the Peoples Democratic Party topshots got to its secretariat earlier in the day and discussed issues bordering on the impeachment threat that had generated so much anxiety in the state and the April 11 House of Assembly election.
Major roads blocked by the PDP stalwarts were the popular Secretariat-Assembly Road named after the the late Deputy Speaker, Hon. Saliu Adeoti, and adjoining roads.
The roads were blocked with nine Hilux vans belonging to the police and the Department of State Services.
Also, fierce-looking armed personnel were stationed at the two entrances of the Assembly Complex.
The PDP leaders danced to the music being supplied in front of the old Assembly complex, where they were restricted to by security agencies.
Some of them sat quietly under the canopies erected in front of the old Assembly complex about two poles away from the new complex.
Ogunsuyi told journalists that the Hon. Adewale Omirin-led lawmakers erred in law by claiming that they had sent a notice of impeachment to Fayose.
He said it was a complete misfire for Omirin to be claiming speakership while also challenging his impeachment in the court of law.
He said: “The new Nigeria which President Goodluck Jonathan and Major General Muhammadu Buhari all campaigned for is the one that would respect the rule of law.
“With this convergence, you can see that the people are standing by their governor.
“They are ready to defend their mandate.
“Nobody asked Omirin and other APC lawmakers not to come to the Assembly.
“They only decided to abdicate their duties since last year November 17.
“Impeachment procedure does not start and end with Assembly alone.
“The judiciary is involved.
“So this plan is highly condemnable.
“We want to emphasize that they are welcome as long as they are concerned about making laws for the progress of the state.
“But if it was meant to come and impeach Governor Fayose, we won’t allow that.”
Ogunsuyi said Fayose, as the leader of the state, will continue to spread the olive branch to the lawmakers for the state to remain in peace and harmony.
He said: “We don’t want any unwholesome issue because the task of developing Ekiti is an onerous task that needed to be pursue with vigour.
“The governor doesn’t want any distraction and that is why he has been pursuing peace at all times.
“We want some measures of decorum in Ekiti.
“We are not proud of the era whereby we had three governors within a week.
“We want a stable government and that we will continue to pursue for Ekiti to be at peace.”
Similarly, a former Speaker, Hon. Tunji Odeyemi, advised the APC lawmakers to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign.
Odeyemi urged them to put the interest of the state beyond parochial reasoning, saying any breakdown of law and order would affect everybody, regardless of political affiliations.
He said: “The entire issue calls for concern.
“As a former legislator, I am quite aware of the rudiment of impeachment process.
“How would they perceive Ekiti as a people nationwide?
“So, I am calling on my colleagues to have a rethink because we are duty bound to contribute to the development of this state.
“I plead with them to embrace reconciliation and forget about heating up the polity unnecessarily.”
