
November 27, 2014
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- Law News

Governor Ayodele Fayose
The embattled Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr. Wale Omirin, on Wednesday in Osogbo remarked that Governor Ayodele
Fayose had introduced illegality into governance, saying the introduction of the illegality in the state would not bring any political development to the state.
Omirin, who was in the Osun State House of Assembly alongside 17 lawmakers to register their protest as a result of what he termed as illegal impeachment by seven lawmakers in the state, contended that Governor Fayose has turned himself to be an emperor that cannot be checked by the legislative arms of government.
The Speaker and his members who had joint session yesterday in Osogbo, also noted that he and his members at no time, did no time make any move to impeach the governor, saying the whole matter was just that they are in opposition.
He contended that in the first meeting of the assembly with the governor, they all pledged and gave him assurances that they would work with him but suddenly Fayose turned the table against him and other members.
Omirin also denied that he did not collect N100million from his party leader from Lagos, Senator Bola Tinubu to impeach Fayose and that N50million each was never collected by his lawmakers to do same.
While speaking on the screening of the commissioners list presented to the assembly by the governor he stressed that there was no way the house can give express approval to the commissioners list rather it has to be properly looked at.
He noted that the commissioners are the people that would take strong decisions in an effort to move the state forward therefore they can not just screen them in a day as requested by the governor.
Omirin contended that the only thing the governor wants, is to disregard the existing order of the house and succumb to his own directive which he said has contravene the house orders.
The Speaker equally noted that Fayose has disrespect for the judiciary, therefore he would not allow him to disregard all assembly’s rules during his own time in office, lamenting that it was unfortunate that the governor action could be displayed openly but cautioned him not to jeopardize the developmental efforts of the assembly.
In his remarks, the Speaker Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salaam, expressed his dismay over the war of attrition being waged against Omirin by Fayose, describing the maltreatment of the Speaker as ominous sign of descending dictatorship.
Also, the Osun parliament called on well-meaning democrats and democratic defenders to rise up against the anti-democratic forces in Ekiti State that are assaulting judiciary and legislature respectively, two most important arms of government.
Salaam further lamented the anarchy that is descending in Ekiti as a result of change of baton at executive arm, arguing that the drama of absurdity, where thugs were impeaching Speaker, locking Speaker’s office up and seizing
Speaker’s official cars and judges beaten blue-black smacks responsible democracy.
He said: “Ekiti State is taking a lead in the wrong direction, anarchy is descending fast on the once upon a peaceful homogeneous state, because a new governor is flexing muscle, and the way and manner judicial officers are being assaulted and intimidated, and now the state parliament’s Speaker is being vilified, suggested that democracy is on trial in Ekiti State.”
Salaam then encouraged the lawmakers in Ekiti State to seize the opportunity presented by the bad precedent that is being laid by executive lawlessness to assert its independence and rein in the prevailing anarchy irrespective of threat and intimidation.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of APCin Ekiti State, Chief Jide Awe, has advised the men of the state police command to be neutral in the leadership tussle rocking the state House of Assembly.
Awe, who spoke with THISDAY on phone in Ado Ekiti yesterday, said it was quite regrettable that Police and other security agencies, who are supposed to be neutral and seem to be apolitical, had been tactically enlisted into the leadership tussle in the Assembly by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The APC Chairman said: “The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu deployed more than enough men last week when Hon. Dele Olugbemi emerged as the Speaker Protempore. It has also been giving the pro-Fayose lawmakers the necessary supports.
“Our party is not averse to police playing their statutory role of ensuring adequate security and safety for the lives of the anti-Omirin lawmakers, but they must be seen to be fair and doing what is just. They should also extend such gesture to the 19 APC lawmakers.
“One thing is very sure, if our lawmakers come to Ekiti today, which I believe have always been their wishes, the PDP thugs will attack them. Their homes had been attacked even when they have not returned from self-exile, what will now happen if they are sighted? Awe asked.
Awe called on the commissioner of police to write his name in gold by being fair to all parties, saying, “This I believe remains the best way to settle the matter once and for all, because we cannot rule out the fact that the security agencies have critical roles to play in restoring normalcy to the Assembly.”
However, the state police boss had during a press briefing on Tuesday pledged that he won’t allow his men to be dragged into the political intrigues going on in the Assembly.
“Nigeria Police is apolitical and we have been ensuring that we are not dragged into the crisis in the State Assembly and this we will keep to the end.
“Our responsibility as a security agency is to protect the lives and property of our citizens and not to engage in politics,” Lakanu stated.
Meanwhile, the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the State Government would use every legal and constitutional means to ensure the trial of the State APC chairman for alleged murder.
The party contended that Awe, who is standing trial over alleged murder of Mr. Ayo Jeje and Mrs. Juliana Adewumi won’t escape justice, in spite of the verdict of the Federal High Court, Jos, Plateau State, which had granted him interlocutory injunction, restraining the police and other security agencies from arresting him.
The court in its ruling delivered on exparte motion brought before it, ruled that Awe cannot be arrested by security agencies pending the time the court would dispense justice on the substantive suit pending at the Ado Ekiti High Court.
According to a press statement issued by the Acting State Publicity
Secretary of the PDP, Mr Joseph Adaraniwon in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, the PDP described the injunction as kangaroo, which will be vacated in view of the enormity of the alleged offence committed by the defendant.
The PDP described murder as a serious offence, which should not be treated with levity for Ekiti State to have a society that would be free of crime and erase the impression that some individuals are being treated as sacred cows in the dispensation of justice.
The duo of Jeje and Mrs Adewumi were shot by suspected party thugs on March 31, 2013 at Erinjiyan Ekiti State, while defecting from APC to PDP.
While Jeje died on the spot, Mrs Adewumi, who was shot in the buttock later died in the hospital.
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