Less than a week after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Major General Mohammadu Buhari winner of the presidential election ,the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in Ekiti State House of Assembly have served the state governor,Mr Ayo Fayose notice of gross misconduct
The lawmakers who have left the state since last year November after the purported impeachment of the Speaker,Hon Adewale Omirin, staged a come back on Wednesday after INEC pronounced Buhari ,the president-elect of the country. They stormed the assembly where they hurriedly held a prayer session on Wednesday.
The invasion of the House came as the 7 PDP lawmakers led by a factional Speaker Hon Dele Olugbemi were holding a plenary session in the House.
When it was apparent that the face-off between the APC and PDP lawmakers could lead to the breaking down of law and order,the state police Commissioner,Mr Taiwo Lakanu ordered his men to seal-off the House.
According to the letter said to have been sent to the governor by the APC lawmakers titled Re: Notice of Allegations of Gross Misconduct, eight impeachable allegations have been leveled against the governor.
These include, invasion of the House of Assembly with thugs and micreants, instigating unconstitutional take over of the House by seven legislators to sit in contravention of Section 96(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, prevention of the nineteen APC legislative members from performing legislative duties with the use of security agents and armed thugs and sponsoring an unlawful impeachment process in the house.
Other allegations listed in the notice are spending Ekiti State funds without the requisite constitutional approval in contravention of the constitution, running the government of Ekiti State without legally constituted Executive Council in contravention of Section 192(2) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, operating an illegal 2014 Budget as well as sponsoring and instigating illegal sitting of the House in contravention of Section 96(1) of the Constitution.
The lawmakers have given the governor seven days notice to respond to the allegations.
In his response,Fayose has condemned the lawmakers as acting like jesters.
Fayose who said he read the notice of the impeachment, like any other person online, said that Adewale Omirin has ceased being the speaker of the House.
“The script being acted by the APC is a failed one because no one, no matter how highly placed will be allowed to test the will of Ekiti people.”
Fayose who described the purported impeachment notice posted online by the APC lawmakers as the “joke of the century” said; “The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly is Hon Dele Olugbemi and not Dr Adewale Omirin.”
In a statement, Saturday, by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said; “Omirin is already in court, challenging his impeachment and common sense dictates that when you are challenging an action already taken in court, you have accepted the consequences of such action pending the determination of the suit you filed.”
He said the APC lawmakers should stop advertising their ignorance and crudity in the market place by posting impeachment notice online.
“Since last year November, these so-called lawmakers abdicated their duties and ran to Lagos only for them to resurface on Wednesday, but they hurriedly ran away again.
“Now they are posting notice of impeachment signed on March 9, 2015 and Ekiti people are asking; was the motion for impeachment moved and adopted in Lagos or Osun State House of Assembly? “Is impeachment of a governor done along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway inside a moving bus?
“Rather than going about advertising their ignorance and crudity, the APC lawmakers should wait for the court to adjudicate on the case they filed because even the President-Elect, Major General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) will respect the rule of law when he assumes office,” the governor said. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Surprise, Fayose talking about respect for rule of law. Was he not the one that used 5 PDP lawmakers to remove the speaker with 19 lawmakers. Does this represent the rule of law a bit? He should allow the lawmakers to carry out their constitutional duties. Now, the table has turned around.
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