?Speaker, 13 others impeached with borrowed mace? It's illegal ?G15
?An act of God ?Gov
MONSUR OLADUNJOYE, Lagos and ADEBIMPE AFUNKU, Abeokuta
Confusion reigned in Ogun State yesterday, as a faction of the State House of Assembly loyal to Governor Gbenga Daniel, sacked the Speaker Tunji Egbetokun and 13 others
Journalists and staff of the Assembly were barred from the complex, as the sack was carried out by a group of nine members sympathetic to the state government.
They were said to have arrived at the complex as early as 7 a.m. and gone into the chambers where they conducted proceedings with a mace said to have been borrowed from the Abeokuta North Local Government Area. The State House of Assembly is composed of 26 members, two of whom are currently on suspension.
Yemi Coker from Odeda state constituency was appointed as the new Speaker.
Coker, in his inaugural speech, said the action had become necessary because of the gross misconduct of Egbetokun.
He said the action was taken to save the government from being crippled by Egbetokun and his team.
They immediately approved the supplementary budget for the state and for Governor Daniel to approach the capital market for the N100 billion bond that has been rejected by majority of the legislators.
This was as the new speaker was prevented by the police from addressing the press at Iwe Iroyin House, venue of the proposed press briefing. State Police Commissioner Musa Daura, ordered the venue shut.
The Police boss also ordered that the legislative chamber be secured by his men, pending the settlement of the political impasse.
Meanwhile, Gov. Daniel has described the event as an act of God.
The embattled Egbetokun who pointed accusing fingers at Governor Daniel, however, told Daily Champion in an exclusive interview that "he (Daniel) is deceiving himself."
A member of the G-15 Kunle Adegboyega recalled that the faction broke into the chamber to sit for just 30 minutes during which Egbetokun was removed.
He said the minority took the hasty decision to scuttle the scheduled debate on the bond request which was to come up tomorrow (Wednesday).
Addressing newsmen yesterday at the Lagos Airport Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos State, Egbetokun and 13 others said: "They and their sponsor are all joking because even the least educated Nigerian or human being knows that they need two-thirds (16) members of the House to remove me from office as Speaker.
"My impeachment by the minority lawmakers is illegal and therefore null and void because the eight lawmakers did not constitute the required quorum by law to impeach me.
"Section 92 sub section 3 of the Constitution provides that to suspend a Speaker will require two-thirds of the members of the House.
"Out of 26 members of the House only eight were part of the impeachment which is less than what is required to remove a Speaker from office?,? he said.
He said majority of the lawmakers are on his side and therefore it is impossible for the minority to swallow the majority, lamenting that the lawmakers whose primary responsibility is to protect the law are the ones breaking it through illegal impeachment.
He told newsmen that the House remained adjourned and would be reconvened as soon as its recess is over, adding that the impeachment is a charade that must be disregarded.
The Speaker warned financial institutions against spending money from the supplementary budget until all issues are resolved.
Those who attended the briefing included the Deputy Speaker Remi Hassan and the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Micheal Fasinu, Giwa Nosiru, Leye Odunyo,Adekunle Adegboyega,Lukman Adire Adijat Adeleye and Akeem Salami.
Others were: Pelumi Olusola, Abiodun Akoroyo, Joshua Fatokin, Job Akinta, Wale Alausa and Dr Oshin.
However, Daniel yesterday said the development in the Assembly was an answer to the fervent prayers of indigenes, noting that it was particularly instructive that it happened during the holy month of Ramadan.
The governor, in his first official reaction, said it was God that intervened in the matter to ensure victory for the people of the state.
He said this while addressing hundreds of party supporters from Remo North Local Government area, who paid him a solidarity visit, at the Government House, Abeokuta, over the development.
He expressed gratitude to them for the visit, stressing that it was especially gratifying to him that they could mobilise so quickly without any prompting or invitation to come and show him their love and support.
He said: "I do not have much to say, because the situation is clear to everyone. As you are all aware, we are in the holy month of Ramadan. So, what has happened was a manifestation of the prayers of all of you, especially during this period. God who has answered our prayers will not leave us alone at this stage. But I want all of you to know that these people we are talking about are still our people. It was the devil that tried to divide us. God has won victory for us and the victory shall endure by His grace."
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