—- Monarchs sue for understanding, call stakeholders’ meeting
By Rotimi Ojomoyela
Ado-Ekiti
The last may not have been heard on the Ekiti state Governor Ayo Fayose’s impeachment saga, as the House of Assembly has written to the state Chief Judge, Mr. Justice Ayodeji Daramola, asking him to set up a panel to investigate allegations raised in the impeachment notice to Governor Ayodele Fayose.
In a statement in Ado-Ekit by the Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media, Mr Wole Olujobi, it said the lawmakers, at a special sitting held at Mary Hills Boys High School, Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, they relied on Section 101 of the 1999 Constitution as amended which empowers the assembly to regulate their sittings, including sitting in a public building within the state capital if conditions exist in the hallowed chamber that endanger members’ lives.
Majority Leader, Churchill Adedipe, Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency One, explained that the sitting ought to have taken place in the hallowed chamber on April 7, 2015, but members were waylaid by thugs who mounted roadblock and threatened their lives with dangerous weapons, thereby forcing them to abandon going to the assembly.
The statement said the meeting, which was presided over by the embattled Speaker, Dr Adewale Omirin, relying on Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), passed a motion moved by Adedipe empowering the chief judge to set up the panel.
His motion was seconded by the Deputy Speaker, Adetunji Orisalade, representing Ido/Osi Constituency Two.
After debates, the lawmakers unanimously voted to support the motion directing the chief judge to set up the panel.
The seven-man panel, to be constituted by the chief judge within seven days of receipt of the letter, is to investigate Fayose and Deputy Governor Olusola Kolapo Eleka over allegations of gross misconduct raised in their impeachment notice.
But when contacted, the Chief Registrar of the Ekiti state judiciary, Mr Obafemi Fasanmi, denied ever receiving any letter from the lawmakers.
“I am not aware of that except you confirm from the chief judge himself. I was in the office today, no such letter was received,” he said.
Also, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communication and New Media, Mr Lere Olayinka, said no sitting of Ekiti assembly was held on Thursday.
He said: “The State House of Assembly is on recess. No sitting of the House is taking place in the House of Assembly. Kindly disregard info being circulated by the APC that their lawmakers are sitting somewhere in Ado Ekiti.
“Of course, members of the House of Assembly can gather anywhere in the world to have social or political meetings, parliamentary business is done in the hallowed chamber of the House of Assembly.
“Besides, Dr Adewale Omirin, who claimed to be the Speaker of the Ekiti state House of Assembly, was impeached on November 20, 2014 and he is in court, challenging his impeachment.”
Also, investigations at the primary School where the purported sitting took place revealed that such event was never witnessed in the school.
Meanwhile, Ekiti state monarchs, under the auspices of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, have initiated efforts to broker peace among the gladiators in the political impasse as they appealed to Fayose and members of the APC caucus in the assembly to sheathe their swords.
A communiqué read by the council’s chairman and the Onitaji of Itaji Ekiti, Oba Adamo Babalola, said the face-off had been on since Fayose was sworn in on October 16, 2014.
Babalola said efforts made by the council to broker truce between the feuding political gladiators had consistently been stalled by claim by the two sides that the case challenging the removal of Omirin from office was pending in court and that it would be subjudiced to discuss it.
He said: “The position stalled all further deliberations and efforts to find an amicable settlement of the matter. 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.
“Council appreciates the representations from various individual groups and associations such as the Ekiti State Council of Elders, the labour unions, both serving and retired, religious leaders, business and professional bodies for their concerns and suggestions.
“Council hereby appeals to all political gladiators to sheathe their swords, eschew violence and give peace a chance, as we believe that violence cannot solve the problems at hand.”
The traditional rulers charged the Independent National Electoral Commission to be impartial during Saturday’s poll, urging the politicians and the electorate to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act for peace to reign in the state.