The Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers on Thursday called on both the state governor, Ayo Fayose, and the All Progressives Congress members of the House of Assembly who recently served him notice of impeachment, to sheath their swords.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued by the Council at the end of their emergency meeting.

The monarchs made the call the same day 19 APC lawmakers said on Thursday that they had directed the Chief Judge, Ayo Daramola, to commence the process of probing allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy, Ojo Eleka.

However, the Chief Registrar of the Ekiti State Judiciary, Obafemi Fasanmi, was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria as saying the Chief Judge had not received any directive from the lawmaker to set up an impeachment panel.

In their communiqué read by its Chairman and the Onitaji of Itaji-Ekiti, Oba Adamo Babalola, the traditional rulers said the face-off between the executive and the legislative arms of government had been on since Mr. Fayose was sworn-in on Oct.16, 2014.

The Council said efforts made by the council to broker peace between the feuding political gladiators had consistently been stalled.

“The position stalled all further deliberations and efforts to find an amicable settlement of the matter,” it said.

“The recent development in our dear state is a source of concern and embarrassment to all well-meaning people of Ekiti State.

“It is sad that unfortunate incident which resulted in the death of one Mr Modupe Olaya of Efon-Alaaye could have been avoided,” the chiefs said.

The monarchs called on law enforcement agencies to ensure the security and safety of lives and property during and after the April 11 House of Assembly election.

The traditional rulers also charged the Independent National Electoral Commission to be impartial during Saturday’s state assembly poll, urging politicians and the electorate to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act for the poll to be peaceful.

Meanwhile, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communication, Lere Olayinka, declared that no sitting of Ekiti State House Assembly took place on Thursday.

Mr. Olayinka contended that they only sat somewhere outside the state.

“The state House of Assembly is on recess. No sitting of the House took place anywhere in the state. Neither did it take place in the chambers of the House of Assembly.

“We therefore urge the public to disregard the information being circulated by the APC that their lawmakers sat at a public school in Ado Ekiti.

“Of course, members of the House of Assembly can gather anywhere in the world to have social or political meetings, but parliamentary business is done only in the hallowed chamber of the House of Assembly”, he said.

Mr. Olayinka said besides, “their actions were shameful because Fayose had already gone to an Abuja High Court to halt the impeachment process and the case is still pending.

“Besides, Omirin, who claims to be the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, was impeached on Nov. 20, 2014 and he is also in a Lagos court, challenging his impeachment.’’