By Ayodele Oni
Tope Ogunleye, lawmaker representing Ilejemeje Constituency at the Ekiti House of Assembly, is one of the assembly members that were suspended in the wake of the crisis at the legislative building.
He gives a breakdown of what led to the entire scenario:
How did assembly produce two Speakers Within a week?
“Former Governor Kayode Fayemi invited all of us (Assembly members) to his residence along Ilawe road in Ado Ekiti. Those in attendance with him were his deputy, Bisi Egbeyemi, APC chairman, Paul Omotoso, Secretary, Garba, Former LG service chairman, Chief Bejide, Mrs Adelabu and others.
“He now told us that he has annoited candidate for the position of Speaker in person of Mrs Bunmi Adelugba, that we should meet and elect her. Fayemi now sought our reaction on this.We told him it’s good but that the North senatorial, where he comes from, had nothing as regards position at present since he served out his term as Governor.
“As it is, the Central has Secretary to Government, Deputy Speaker, Ambassador and Minister, while South has Deputy Governor and Speaker leaving the North with nothing.
“We left the meeting and thereafter, those of us ,I mean Lawmakers from the North now met, we are nine in number, but two excused themselves. We agreed that we have just six months in office, that we should fight for our people so that they will not blame us for trading them off.
“Seven of us now reached out to others and when election was held last week Tuesday, Aribisogan had 15 votes against Fayemi’s candidate that got 10. This made Fayemi to be furious and vowed to ensure that Aribisogan will not last.
“The next thing, they now invited 11 lawmakers that have been reelected for second term during party’s primary. They were camped at one hotel owned by APC Chairman in Ado Ekiti. Fayemi’s former Chief of Staff, Biodun Omoleye, his former Attorney General, Fapohunda later joined Fayemi there.
“They addressed them and thereafter drove them to Ikogosi Ekiti where they were brought to the Assembly on Monday. They began sitting around 5.00am surrounded by armed thugs and Policemen hired and paid for by Fayemi.
“They now sat and announced that Aribisogan has been impeached as Speaker. There are processes to be followed before a Speaker is impeached. A Committee will be constituted and the person invited to defend allegations against him, all these were jettisoned.
“Fayemi did not stop there, he now told them to suspend those of us that were arrow head of the election which brought in Aribisogan.
“We have not seen the end yet. Already, Aribisogan has consulted Afe Babalola Chambers and briefed them, a case has been filed at the Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti to be handled by Femi Falana. Fayemi’s illegality cannot last.
On the role of the party
The Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe says “the first election that produced Aribisogan did not receive blessing of the party. It was true we met with the lawmakers, they promised to get back to us only to hear that Aribisogan has been elected as Speaker.
“In everything, party mechanism and supremacy should be respected and followed. Things must be done in right way. The 15 lawmakers that voted for Aribisogan are unknown. Those 17 that elected Adelugba came to the Party secretariat after the election to report to the leadership of the party.
“We should leave the legality or otherwise of those actions for the law to determine. The stand of the party is that the first election which produced Aribisogan is wrong, the party stands by the election of Adelugba.”
On step to resolve the impasse
“Ekiti people are peace loving, APC as a party too is after the peace of the state. As I said, Aribisogan has not come to the party Secretariat to report what transpired, he should come along with 15 members that voted for him. We cannot, I mean the party go and meet them at the assembly so pepe will not read meaning to our action.
” For clarity, the party is not involved in Adrlugba’s election, but she visited the party secretariat along with 17 members that voted for her after the election and received the party’s blessing. Both sides are members of APC, one thing is that Aribisogan remains Speaker of Ekiti Assembly, though impeached, since he was sworn in after his election.
“We should leave the law to determine the legibility of his removal. The party is in the process of resolving the issue. Another issue is linking former Governor Fayemi with the assembly issue. I want to clarify that Dr Fayemi can’t disrupt the peace of the State, he was not in the state, so I dont expect anybody to link him with the problem at the house of Assembly; it was purely party affairs.”
