The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has expressed commitment to the peace move initiated by elders in the state, led by Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) to find a political solution to the leadership crisis in the state House of Assembly.

The peace parley, according to the governor, will hold at the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti on Thursday.

A seven-member caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Assembly had on November 20, 2014 impeached the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin, and his deputy, Tunji Orisalade.

Mr. Dele Olugbemi, an ally of the governor was installed as the Speaker by the faction and has since been presiding over the assembly.

Since then, the assembly has been embroiled in a crisis leading to a feud between the governor and the 19 All Progressives Congress lawmakers led by Omirin.

All efforts to resolve the crisis by the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Ekiti Council of Elders had failed.

But Fayose on Tuesday in a statement he personally signed said the peace of the state was far and above all other interests and therefore everyone should support the elders’ peace efforts.

The governor said he was committed to the peace meeting convened by Babalola, urging security agencies to make adequate provision for the parley.

The statement partly read, “Ekiti elders under the leadership of our highly respected legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) called a meeting between the two factions of the state House of Assembly to resolve politically the crisis in the House of Assembly and I, as the state governor does not have any objection because the peace of Ekiti is far and above all other interests.

“The meeting is scheduled to hold at Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti at 11am on Thursday.

“I therefore call on everybody to support this peace move and no one should do anything to undermine it.

“Knowing how agitated and concerned the people of Ekiti have been on this crisis, I wish to urge our people to give this peace effort a chance and I urge all security agencies in the state to see to it that adequate security is provided before, during and after the meeting.”

Omirin, who also said his group would honour the peace parley, expressed the readiness of the APC lawmakers to support all legitimate means to end the crisis. He described Babalola and the elders as well-respected leaders that should be listened to.