Posted by By Ola Ajayi & Kolade Larewaju on
THE 18 mem-bers of the Oyo State House of Assembly rooting for the impeachment of Governor Rashidi Ladoja vowed, yesterday, to press ahead with their plan irrespective of the court order obtained on Friday by the Assembly speaker, Mr. Adeolu Adeleke and others in his group.
IBADAN - THE 18 members of the Oyo State House of Assembly rooting for the impeachment of Governor Rashidi Ladoja vowed, yesterday, to press ahead with their plan irrespective of the court order obtained on Friday by the Assembly speaker, Mr. Adeolu Adeleke and others in his group.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, told Chief Lamidi Adedibu to allow for peace in Oyo State.
A state high court sitting in Ibadan had granted an ex-parte motion filed by Speaker Adeleke and the state Assembly, restraining the pro-IBADAN - THE 18 members of the Oyo State House of Assembly rooting for the impeachment of Governor Rashidi Ladoja vowed, yesterday, to press ahead with their plan irrespective of the court order obtained on Friday by the Assembly speaker, Mr. Adeolu Adeleke and others in his group.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, told Chief Lamidi Adedibu to allow for peace in Oyo State.
A state high court sitting in Ibadan had granted an ex-parte motion filed by Speaker Adeleke and the state Assembly, restraining the pro-Adedibu group, 'their servants, agents and/or privies from impeaching or removing the governor of Oyo State from office or otherwise interfere in any way or manner with the discharge, execution or performance of his constitutional, official or statutory duties or responsibilities pending the hearing and determination of the 'court motion on notice filed in the court by the plaintiffs."
However, reacting to the court order yesterday, a member of the pro-Adedibu group, Mr. Babatunde Eesuola said the court lacked constitutional power to stop their impeachment process against the governor.
Section 188(10) says: 'No proceedings or determination of the panel or of the House of Assembly or any matter relating to such proceedings or determination shall be entertained or questioned in any court."
Mr Eesuola, Chairman, House Committee on Publicity, said: 'One million court injunctions cannot stop the impeachment process. The impeachment or removal of the governor or the deputy governor is one of the constitutional duties of the state House of Assembly and not of any court."No court can stop the impeachment initiated by any House of Assembly. If you follow the impeachment move closely, you will notice that we are following the laid down constitutional process. So that it will be a proper and constitutional exercise. I can tell you that since we are following the normal process, the impeachment is on the right course."It is not beyond the powers of a state House of Assembly to initiate impeachment moves as well as to impeach either the governor of a state or the deputy governor as it is clearly stated in section 188 (10)of the 1999 constitution"As far as we are concerned, there is no going back on the impeachment move. We are committed to what we are doing; nobody can stop us."
On suggestions that his group of 18 did not constitute two-third majority as required by the constitution to implement the impeachment process, Mr Eesuola said: 'Since the seven members of Hon. Adeleke's group have been suspended, the remaining Oyo lawmakers are just 25 in number. If you calculate it, deduct 18 from 25, you will find that we have constituted the two-third majority to carry out the impeachment process."
Obasanjo begs for peace in Oyo
However, President Obasanjo yesterday described Chief Lamidi Adedibu as 'a force to reckon" with in the politics of Ibadan and Oyo State. He spoke in his Ibogun Olaogun village in Ogun State during the 2005 Ibogun Olaogun Day celebration.Chief Adedibu had arrived in the village with his supporters in about 20-18-seater buses amidst drumming and singing. Chief Adedibu himself rode on a white horse butthe security men insisted that he should disembark before he could be allowed into the venue of the celebration.
Adressing the crowd on the occasion, President Obasanjo said: 'We appreciate your coming. We appreciate not only your coming, we appreciate your coming in a very special style. Nothing can be more spectacular than the display of the drummers.
'Chief Adedibu, you have for a long time been a force to reckon with in the politics of Ibadan in particular and Oyo State in general."
President Obasanjo who allowed Adedibu's drummers to entertain for about five minutes, however, told him and other politicians in Oyo State to ensure peace and security in the state. He said: 'I will just plead with you and others, who are in the mainstream of Oyo State politics, to bear in mind, these four important items: peace, security, solidarity and loyalty."The President apologised to Adedibu for the insistence of the security agents that he should disembark from his horse before entering the venue of the ceremony, explaining that when Adedibu came, he instructed that he be allowed to enter the venue on the horse.The President earlier in his address urged Nigerians to focus on the development of their communities, irrespective of their political affiliations. He also congratulated the new Olowu of Owu, Oba Olusanya Dosunmu, whose appointment, he said, was not a mistake.In his speech, Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State urged other communities in the state to emulate Ibogun, adding that the state government would continue to focus on the welfare of the people.