Tension mounted in some parts of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Monday over the refusal of the House of Assembly Speaker Kola Oluwawole to swear in member-elect to represent Ado Constituency 1, Toyin Obayemi.
Some youths in Odo Ado area of the city, who are supporters of Obayemi, said they could no longer endure lack of representation in the Assembly, threatening that they would be forced to resort to self-help over the development.
Rising from an emergency meeting held at the instance of an interest group, Fountain Alliance, they condemned the continued disobedience of a valid order that Obayemi be sworn in immediately as delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Ado Ekiti Federal High Court on July 4.
One of the youths, Tayo Ogunkuade said the Odo Ado youths would have embarked on violent protests but for the intervention of Obayemi who, according to him, is preaching against violence and bloodshed in the pursuit of his ‘stolen’ mandate.
Ogunkuade said: “We would have taken to the streets to protest the refusal of the Speaker to facilitate the inauguration of Obayemi as this big constituency has been denied a voice since the court removed Musa Arogundade over three months ago.
“But we are still waiting and observing the development because we might be forced to march on the Assembly complex and shut the place down but Obayemi who is a man of peace has been appealing to us not to do so believing that justice will still be done.”
The Legal Adviser of Fountain Alliance, Ola Adegode urged Governor Ayo Fayose to prevail on the Speaker to admit Obayemi into the Assembly chamber in line with the July 4 court verdict, saying: “refusal to do so amounts to willful and deliberate disobedience of a valid court order.”
He said: “The judgment delivered on July 4 by Hon. Justice Taiwo was lucid and clear, the judgment says that Toyin Obayemi should be sworn in immediately and without any delay. It was a declarative order that cannot be stayed, it must be executed immediately.
“The Speaker is claiming that the House has filed an appeal hence the delay in performing the swearing-in of Obayemi; we want to educate them that this judgment, being a declarative one cannot be stayed by any notice of appeal.
“In fact, the filing of any notice of appeal does not amount to a stay. Obayemi himself had not received any notice of appeal which they are claiming to have filed. The legislature which makes the law should not be seen to be trampling on the rule of law.
“We are also using this opportunity to draw the attention of the whole world to the impunity, rascality and attack on the rule of law going on in Ekiti State. Our governor claims to be an apostle of the rule of law but the same rule of law is being eroded under his nose and injustice has continued to fester here.
“We want the governor and the Assembly authorities to set an example here by obeying the court order that Obayemi be sworn in immediately for the people of Ado Constituency 1 to have a voice in the state legislature and prevent a potential anarchy being brewed by this infraction of the law.”
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