Tension in Ekiti Assembly, as lawmaker move to impeach Deputy Speaker

There was palpable tension in the Ekiti Assembly on Tuesday, as the Deputy Speaker, Hon Segun Adewumi, narrowly escaped being impeached by his colleagues over undisclosed reasons.

This, according to investigation, also did not spare the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon Gboyega Aribisogan, who was also said to have been a suspended at the assembly’s parliamentary meeting on Tuesday for allegedly hobnobbing with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to a Senator from Ogun State.

Already, the state chapter of the PDP is divided into two factions, with Barr Gboyega Oguntuase faction, who has the backing of Governor Ayo Fayose controlling a faction while Chief Williams Ajayi, backed by Senator Clement Awoyelu controlling the other group.

The said Senator has been having a running battle with Governor Fayose over the control the PDP in the Southwest, while the duo of Adewumi and Aribisogan represent Ekiti West Constituency 1 and Ikole constituency 1 respectively in the state House of Assembly.
When Journalists visited the Assembly yesterday at about 11.30am, a source confided in them that the Deputy Speaker had been removed at the Assembly parliamentary held on Monday and replaced with Hon Dayo Akinleye, representing Ijero constituency.

Invesgation revealed that the lawmakers are only waiting for the affirmation of their decision on the two lawmakers during their plenary scheduled for yesterday.

However, the embattled Deputy Speaker was later sighted behind the speaker at the Governor’s lodge when the assembly presented before the Governor for assent, the Revised Appropriation Bill 2016.

It was gathered that the same higher authority who directed the assembly to effect changes, also called for peaceful resolution of the crisis to forestall any crack the All Progressives Congress (APC) could feast on to wreak havoc on the party.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Kola Oluwawole debunked the insinuation that leadership crisis is brewing in the assembly.

“Nothing of such happened. I am not aware of any impeachment or suspension plot. The Deputy Speaker is still there as my deputy.

“But let me make it clear here that whatever issues we have in the assembly shall be resolved amicably. It is a family affair, because members of the assembly operate like a family”, he said.

When contacted, the Chairman House Committee on Information, said he was in Abuja to attend to family matter and that he had not committed any offence to warrant suspension.

“I have never had any meeting with anybody outside the shores of Ekiti except the one I held with my family members. I have not been suspended and I believe nothing of such had happened”, Aribisogan said.