- Plateau Speaker refuses to inaugurate 16 APC lawmakers recognised by Appeal Court
The Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, was on Tuesday impeached by 18 out of 26 members of the legislative arm during the house sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Bolanle Ajayi (APC-Yewa South).
Oluomo, representing Ifo State Constituency was impeached over allegations of gross misconduct, highhandedness, lack of focus and transparency, financial misappropriation and pursuit of selfish interests.
The erstwhile speaker was reportedly at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto Abeokuta attending the swearing-in of customary court judges a few metres away to the assembly complex, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta when his colleagues moved against him.
The Assembly also elected Oludaisi Elemide (APC-Odeda) as the new speaker.
There were also reports of shootings by some security officers loyal to Oluomo who allegedly tried to stop the impeachment.
Adegoke Awoso (APC-Yewa North 1), moved the motion for the impeachment of Oluomo while it was seconded by Ademola Adeniran another APC lawmaker representing Sagamu Constituency II.
Adegoke, popularly called Awoso, had reportedly entered the assembly chamber with the mace in the company of other lawmakers.
Speaking to newsmen after being elected as the new speaker, Elemide said the people of the state should expect the best from him.
“We are law-abiding legislators. We want the world to know that there has been a change in leadership.
“18 members signed for me to be the speaker. People should remain calm. We are in the custody of all the authorities of the house. We are saying that the new leadership will support the governor.
“The governor does not know anything about this impeachment,” he said.
Also speaking to newsmen, Damilola Soneye (APC-Obafemi Owode), noted that the office of the speaker is meant to be first among equals.
“The speaker was impeached due to gross misconduct which includes high handedness, lack of focus and transparency, arrogance and poor leadership style, financial misappropriation and inciting members against themselves,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, also visited the assembly complex to ensure law and order.
This is just as Awoso alleged that policemen shot at the tyre of his car while claiming to be searching for guns said to be in his car.
He said “The police shot at my tyre, they said they were searching for arms which a member claimed was in my car and by the time they searched everywhere including the engine, they found nothing. I am embarrassed to have been treated with such disrespect and disdain as if one is a common criminal”.
The Commissioner for police, however, said that he was at the Assembly to ensure law and order
Alamutu said, “We are here to ensure law and order and we also picked up the information that arms were kept inside one of the cars at the Assembly Complex but it has been searched and nothing of such was found.”
The house has adjourned sitting for a week.
The Clerk and the Deputy Clerk, Deji Adeyemo and Mrs. Funmilayo Adeyemi were also at the plenary.
Oluomo, the impeached speaker is standing trial over financial misappropriation of N2bn.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had in September 2022 filed an 11-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and stealing against Oluomo, and three other staff members of the legislative arm.
The charge was filed by the EFFC’s Lagos Head of Legal Monitoring Unit, Rotimi Oyedepo, at the Federal High Court, Abeokuta.
The impeached Speaker had however maintained his innocence saying that he would eventually be vindicated of the fraud charges.
Plateau Speaker refuses to inaugurate 16 APC lawmakers recognised by Appeal Court
In another development, the Speaker of the Plateau House of Assembly, Gabriel Dewan, said he would not recognise the 16 lawmakers who were declared winners of the election into their various constituencies by the Court of Appeal when victories of the People’s Democratic Party candidates who won the elections were annulled.
Dewan, who said he has a court injunction against recognizing the 16 lawmakers, of the APC as members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, however, said he would also not recognise the 16 sacked PDP members who attempted to resume plenary on Tuesday despite being sacked by the tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
Dewan said he would only recognise eight members of the Assembly while the sacked PDP lawmakers, and the other 16 APC lawmakers with certificates of return, will be shut out for now.
He said this while speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Jos, following the resumption of the lawmakers’ long recess, after the Court of Appeal sacked 16 members elected on the platform of PDP.
There was mild drama earlier on Tuesday, at Old Government Jos, the temporary venue of the assembly, after a police tear gas accidentally went off.
The tear gas went off as police personnel were trying to stop supporters of the sacked members from gaining access to where the lawmakers were scheduled to sit.
However, the eight members gained access to the temporary premises of the assembly, but the others were denied entry.
“At present, there are 32 members laying claim to the seats.
“Since the 32 members had their certificates of return, and are laying claim to their mandates, it would be unlawful to admit them into the chambers.
“For now, only eight members will be sitting. I have a court injunction restraining the House from inaugurating the 16 APC members.
“Yes, they have their certificates of return issued to them by INEC, but they can’t be inaugurated until the final determination or vacation of the injunction,’’ he said.
The 16 lawmakers of PDP had attempted to resume plenary following comments by the Supreme Court that the Court of Appeal was wrong to sack them.
The Assembly complex has been taken over by security personnel.
The state Governor, Caleb Muftwang has declared 24-hour curfew in the state over the crisis.
