7 Ekiti PDP Lawmakers Reconvene House, Approve Fayose’s Nominees without Speaker and Deputy
Trouble struck on Monday as 7 out of 26 members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, all members of the Peoples Democratic Party, reconvened the house without the Speaker, Adewale Omirin, and deputy speaker, Adetunji Orisalade.
The resumption of the House with tight security provided by armed policemen and without the attendance of lawmakers belonging to the All Progressives Congress has now fuelled speculation that the speaker had been impeached. The state government however denied the rumours.
Asides the undue resumption of the House from its one month recess, which has not ended, the members also nominated one of its members, Dele Olugbemi, as the Speaker pro-tempore in the absence of the substantive Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
The lawmakers used the session to sign the appointment of three commissioners, 12 advisers and reconstitute the caretaker committees of the 16 Local Government Areas in the state.
The state chapter of the APC released a statement describing the turn of events “barbaric and condemnable.”
“Our attention has been drawn to the invasion of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, EKHA, this morning by Gov Ayo Fayose and his attempt to arm twist the house to do his bidding to tinker with the constitution and confer functions on the caretaker chairmen he has set up for the Local Government councils. He is forcing his way to inaugurate them in spite of the due legislative process.
“In his characteristic manner, Fayose, this morning went to the hallowed chamber in company of armed soldiers and policemen, dreadfully garbed, and unleashed terror on the innocent assembly workers, forced his way in and compelled his 7-man PDP house members to sit and do his bidding.
“We are cock-sure that this impunity will not stop. The predictable chaos is here already and we are back to witnessing the reign of terror in Ekiti State.
“We also learnt that realising that it would require 9 members to form a quorum in a 26-member house, Fayose also brought some strange men into the hallowed chamber to impersonate Honourable Assembly members in his attempt at ensuring a constituted quorum. He insisted that they must appoint a speaker among them and go ahead with legislative matters, forgetting that the house doesn’t hold plenary on Monday. How badly can an impunity be?
“We condemn in categorical terms Fayose’s lawlessness and executive recklessness. His bully and arm-twisting tactics know no bounds and he is acting like an emperor who cannot be stopped. He has hijacked and pocketed the Judiciary and he believes there is nothing stopping him from taking over the legislative functions, as long as his gun-totting soldiers are at his beck and call.
“This reminds one of the civil war era. Peace is fast eluding us in Ekiti and we are back to the season of anomie.”