Connect with us

Politics

Impeachment: Ondo Deputy Governor Not Ready For Genuine Reconciliation – Speaker

Published

on

The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Olamide Oladiji, said this weekend, that the embattled deputy governor of the state, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was not ready for genuine reconciliation to stop his impeachment.

Recall that the assembly had served the deputy governor impeachment notice, for alleged gross misconduct.

Advertisement

But Aiyedatiwa had approached the court to halt the impeachment process just as the national leadership of the party, set up a reconciliation committee to resolve the crisis.

The national leadership of the party, at a peace meeting with the parties in Abuja, directed them to sheath their sword and allow for an amicable settlement of the crisis.

But speaking in Akure, the state capital, on the outcome of the peace meeting in Abuja, with the leadership of the party, the Speaker, Rt Hon Oladiji, said that the deputy governor was not ready for genuine reconciliation.

Advertisement

Oladiji said that during the reconciliation meeting, the assembly members and the deputy governor were asked to withdraw all cases in court.

READ ALSO: Impeachment: Why APC Gave Ondo Deputy Gov Soft Landing — Source

According to him, ”We met the National Chairman, and he specifically asked me how do we commence reconciliation.

Advertisement

“I told him that the reconciliation process has to start from the deputy governor, the deputy governor has to start the reconciliation. He is the one that took us to court, we cannot be reconciling ourselves when we have cases in the court.

“Let him go to the court, withdraw all these cases, then we would know that we are now in for genuine reconciliation.

“But the deputy governor has not done that as he has appealed some of the rulings of the lower court.

Advertisement

“But in the process where those cases have not been withdrawn from the court, the court cases are still on, and we are telling ourselves that we are doing genuine reconciliation. Is that one genuine?.

“As far as the House of Assembly is concerned, we are not doing anything. The cases are in the court and we would follow due process. We believe in the court, as far as we are concerned, the matter is the court.

READ ALSO: Ondo Deputy Gov’s Impeachment Stalled As CJ Cites Court Order

Advertisement

“He appealed some cases again, so we are in court, either favorable or unfavorable, then we will know what to do next. As far as we’re concerned now, we are doing nothing, we are following up the cases in the court.”

On the alleged division amongst the assembly members,the speaker said: ”I want to use this opportunity to inform the general public that the House of Assembly is intact. About three days ago, we had our parliamentary meeting here(House 11 legislative quarters, Alagbaka, Akure,) because of the protest of this Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN).

“We had about 23 members in attendance. We did so many things together here, if not because of this strike, which is not peculiar to Ondo State alone, it is nationwide, we would have continued our legislative businesses.

Advertisement

“I have been treating files since morning, and our members have been coming, if you go to the speaker’s lodge now, you would see about 15 members there, we are together.

“At times, when there’s a political tussle like this, there can be insinuations, rumours, but in the House of Assembly, we are together. We told ourselves that it is an institution, and the institution must be protected. So, we are together.

 

Advertisement

“To the public, most of these bloggers want to feed fat on the issues on ground. They are the one deceiving the public, telling all sort of stories that the House is this, it’s that. As far as I am concerned, we are together.”

READ ALSO: Lawyers, Ex-lawmakers Disagree Over Ondo Deputy Gov’s Impeachment Plot

Oladiji, also, dismissed the allegation that the state has shut down and nothing is functioning as a result of the absence of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in the state.

Advertisement

He said staffers of the state government are being paid their salaries and the workers are going about their duties unhindered.

“As far as I am concerned, I will not subscribe to that because, if you are telling the public that the state is stagnant, yesterday people just received their salary. The impress would be coming any moment from now.

“It is not a new thing for head of Administration to man a local government, most especially when the state government is planning to conduct an election. Instead of bringing in another set of people, what they do is that, they instruct the head of Administration to take over the government, pending the time we would conduct our election.

Advertisement

“So, it is not a new thing. the state is not stagnant, if you go to most of our construction sites, the Ministry of Works, they are working. All our commissioners are working, they are distributing Palliatives in the 18 Local Governments, we are doing well.

READ ALSO: 351 Shops Destroyed In Ladipo Plank Market Fire

“I don’t know where they get that from, there can be political tussle somewhere, that does not destroy the operation of governance, that does not hinder governance, people are getting their salary, they are getting their impress and the civil servants are doing their work,” he said.

Advertisement

The Speaker denied that the impeachment of the deputy governor was initiated by him and members of the assembly.

“Some people are now tracing the impeachment thing to House of Assembly, Mr. Speaker, honorable.

“It did not originate from the House of Assembly, the letter must come from the executive to the House of Assembly. By the time it comes to the House of Assembly, then we ask ourselves, what does the Constitution say? And that’s what we are doing.

Advertisement

“If we are setting up any panel, it would have to come from the executive. If they can get the 2/3 of the members of the executive, fine, and they would write us.”

He said that: “By the time they write us, it is then we can now start working on it. Just like the one we did, as far as that of Deputy Governor is concerned, the executive wrote us, and we acted on that letter that they wrote us.”

 

Advertisement

Politics

By-Election: APC Round Off Campaign In Ovia North East LGA, Optimistic Of Victory

Published

on

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rounded off its campaign for the August 16th bye-election for the Ovia federal constituency in Edo state.

The party which concluded its campaign with the rally at Utoka and Iguoshodin wards in Ovia North East on Friday, said it is optimistic of victory for the next Saturday poll.

Advertisement

Speaking at the rally, the state’s deputy governor, Hon Dennis Idahosa, said that the party has effectively intimated the people across the 13 wards that in the council area of its campaign promises.

He, however, noted that it is not all about rhetoric for the party has a history of delivery of its campaign promises to the people of Edo state.

READ ALSO: Three Ghanaian Nationals Extradited To US In $100m Online Fraud Case

Advertisement

Idahosa further said that the APC candidate, Ms Omosede Igbinedion, being a former member of the House of Representatives, has the capacity and experience to attract developmental projects to the constituency.

Come August 16, with the support of the people, she will take the day. And, this is Iguoshodin Ward. We do not hope to get anything less than 98 percent.

“We are not taking anything for granted. We are going to campaign in the 23 Wards that make Ovia federal Constituency. We are going into the units as this election means a lot to us.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: By-Election: Idahosa Assures Of More Infrastructural Development In Ovia

“We want to send someone that is competent, reliable, and understands the workings of the National Assembly (NASS) to represent the people of Ovia Federal Constituency. That person is Gabriella Omosede Igbinedion,” he said.

Meanwhile, the APC candidate said her support system is growing against the background of the defection of the immediate past deputy governor, Marvelous Omobayo.

Advertisement

According to her, “he, Omobayo, paid a surprise visit to my house last night, requesting for my campaign cap. He stated that he was going to wear it throughout this period.”

Simirlarly, the Senator representing Edo South in the NASS, Neda Imasuen, stressed that it is in the intestinal of the APC to win both August 16 scheduled bye-elections in Ovia federal constituency and the Edo Central senate seat.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Politics

Osun 2026: Aregbesola Optimistic Of ADC’s Victory

Published

on

The National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Rauf Aregbesola, on Saturday declared that the party’s quest to win the 2026 governorship poll in Osun State is already having a divine support.

Aregbesola spoke in Osogbo at the reception organised to mark the 60th birthday of an ex-Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Najeem Salaam.

Advertisement

Salaam served as the Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly between 2011 and 2018, when Aregbesola was the governor of the state.

The ex-Osun Governor, who spoke in Yoruba language, after acknowledging the presence of the incumbent Speaker of the State Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, and the representative of the state governor, George Alabi, said he would not want to offend either of the two men with his speech.

READ ALSO:ADC: Why INEC Has Not Recognised David Mark, Others

Advertisement

He subsequently stated that God is supporting his new party to win the state in the next poll.

After rendering many songs purporting good fortune in the offing for his party in the 2026 governorship election in the state and the general elections in 2027, Aregbesola said, “I don’t want to offend the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Egbedun, and the representative of the governor. But I am very sure that it is our own (ADC) that God will support.”

Earlier, the Speaker of the Osun State House Assembly, Egbedun, noted Salaam’s contributions to the State democratic experience when he served as Speaker.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:ADC Slams Tinubu Over Mounting Debts, Demands Audit

You have always been my role model. The 8th Assembly is proud to associate with you. We see you as a role model.

“I told my people that I will relocate to my community if they elect me. I did it because I saw you, being the only Speaker in the history of Osun that holds his House firmly,” Egbedun said.

Advertisement

Speaking with journalists after the event, Salaam, called on Osun residents to avoid violence during the forthcoming poll, promising not to relent in campaign for politics without bitterness.
(PUNCH)

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Politics

LG Allocations: Monarch Asks Tinubu To Release Osun’s Funds

Published

on

The Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, on Friday charged President Bola Tinubu to pay Osun State’s local government allocation funds without delay.

The monarch, who made the call in an interview with newsmen at the Osun Osogbo Festival programme in Osogbo, said: “The Federal Government needs Osun’s vote in 2027. Osun cannot be ignored, and Osogbo people have already sent me to Tinubu that our vote is for him. Why is he now scared?”

Advertisement

He said: “Tinubu should release our money. Those of you who have the chance to speak to the President should tell him to release the money they are owing Osun State to our governor. Once they do that, when it’s time for the election, I will be available.

READ ALSO:

“Some royal fathers have come to meet me to ask about what we will do on the issue, but I don’t want to be too forward, and I’ve been waiting for the leader of the royal fathers to call a meeting. This really concerns me. The Secretary to the State Government is my own, however, the governor, deputy governor, and Chief of Staff have monarchs in the towns they come from also.

Advertisement

“They should also call those monarchs. Why should I be the one to lead? When we get to Abuja, I know what to say there, ”Nigerian Tribune quoted him.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending