Lawmakers in the Ondo State House of Assembly on Wednesday afternoon changed their mind on the impeachment notice served on the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Jumoke Akindele and His deputy, Hon. Fatai Olotu.
Eighteen out of the 26 members of the House on Tuesday night sacked the speaker and other principal officers of the Assembly.
At one of their colleagues’ residence at Alagbaka where the lawmaker planned the coup, they immediately replaced Akindele with Hon. Iroju Ogundele from Odigbo state constituency and also replaced her deputy with Hon. Ayodeji Arowele from Owo State Constituency I.
The Assembly has 21 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and five All Progressives Congress (APC) members.
The impeachment notice issued and signed by the aggrieved legislators reads,”consequent upon the incompetence, highhandedness, drunkenness, easy virtues, lack of focus and lack of transparency, arrogance and poor leadership, we under signed elected honourable members move for the impeachment of Mr. Speaker and all the principal officers in Ondo State Assembly with immediate effect.
Those who signed it include, Arowele, Ogundeji, Oluyede Olishile, Akindiose Olusiji, Tuyi Akintimehin, Abayomi Akinruntan, Abimbola Fajolu, Olugbenga Araoyinbo, Olusegun Ajimotokin, Jamiu Slaimain
Others were, Olusegun Felemi, Coker Adeniyi Malachi, Towose Kuti, M.O.S Kazeem, Obedidi Virant, Ade Adeniyi, Olumide George and Mukaila Musa.
Shocked by the development, Mimiko immediately invited the lawmakers to a meeting on Tuesday night which ended in a deadlock as the two sides could not reach an agreement.
It was further gathered the governor prevailed on them to save his administration from being ridiculed by his political opponent and urged them to return all the impeached principal officers.
Another meeting was reportedly called by the governor Wednesday morning where it was gathered that the aggrieved lawmakers finally agreed to reversed the impeachment notice.
A lawmaker was quoted to have said, “We will return Akindele as Speaker if you buy us cars and also provide quarters for us.”
Their decisions to return the speaker and other principal officers immediately gave birth to a press conference which was held at the Cocoa Conference Hall at the governor’s office.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Olamide George, who was accompanied by one of his colleagues, Olusiji Akindiose to the press conference only spoke for two minutes and reporters were denied from asking questions.
George said the house has resolved that the status quo on the leadership of the house as at March 7 , 2016 must remain.
He said the issue of leadership of the House is an internal affairs and has been treated as such.
The lawmaker noted that the House remains United, cohesive and alive to its constitutional responsibilities.
George, however warned political jobbers not to heat up the polity.
When DAILY POST reporter visited the Assembly Wednesday morning, the gate was locked and mobile policemen were stationed with armoured tank at the entrance of the Assembly.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has condemned the Lawmakers for reversing their decision on the impeachment notice served on the Speaker and other principal officers of the Assembly.
APC asked the people of the state to recall all the lawmakers, saying they have failed in protecting the interest of the masses and also encouraged corruption in the state.
In a statement issued and signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya, the party said the legislators have finally presented themselves as cowards and stooges of the governor.
The party said it was right when he accused the Assembly of aiding the illegality and impunity being perpetrated by the present administration of Mimiko.
The statement reads, “we hereby call on our people to recall these set of lawmakers as they have failed us by acting as puppets to the governor rather than focusing on their primary assignment which is to make laws and oversee the activities of the executives.
“We were aware that the lawmakers had been caged and they have no courage to speak up on the challenges facing them and the people they represent.
“Since they have been sworn-in, none of them has official car, quarters except the Speaker and other Principal officers and these they could not complain because they are afraid of the sledge hammer of Mimiko.
“If lawmakers could not fight for things that will help them in their day to day activities, how will such lawmakers fight for things that will benefit the masses”?
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