Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has waded into the crisis rocking the State House of Assembly, which resulted in the removal of the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo over allegation of financial misappropriation and others.
Recall that Oluomo was impeached on Tuesday by by 18 lawmakers out of 26-member Assembly, during plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mrs Bolanle Ajayi.
Oluomo was immediately replaced by Mr. Oludaisi Elemide, the lawmaker representing Odeda State Constituency by the 26 members of the Assembly.
But the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr Kayode Akinmade, in a statement on Thursday, said that the state governor decided to intervene in the matter to put all internal wranglings in the Assembly to rest for peace to reign in the state.
Akinmade noted that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration was working with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to see that all the contending issues among the lawmakers were resolved in a democratic, fair, and just manner.
He said although the members of the Assembly had said that their grouse was not with the Governor, whom they pledged their loyalty to, they claimed to have removed Oluomo based on gross misconduct and other anti-legislative matters.
The statement read, “The Government of Ogun State has keenly taken note of the events on the floor of the Ogun State House of Assembly on Tuesday regarding the alleged impeachment of the Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Olakunle Oluomo, by members of the legislative arm during a sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Bolanle Ajayi.
“Working with the leadership of our Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Government intends to see all the contending issues resolved in a democratic, fair, and just manner.”
“There had been internal wrangling in the Assembly that had persisted and degenerated despite several interventions.
“The Ogun State Government notes that the Honourable Members have openly stated that their grouse is not with the Governor, whom they again pledged their loyalty to.
“It is the prerogative of members of the House of Assembly to chose their leadership in line with the constitution and the law guiding the conduct of the Assembly.
“Given that the Ogun electorate gave us a mandate to represent their best interests and deliver democratic dividends that will significantly improve their well-being, the Ogun State Government, along with the Party leadership, have intervened to ensure that whatever disagreement members have is resolved peacefully and amicably, so that the delivery of democratic dividends to our people will not be hampered in any way.
“The Ogun State Government considers all members of the House of Assembly as partners in the Building our Future agenda and will always prioritise issues that affect them.”