Posted by By AKEEB ALARAPE on
The group of 14 lawmakers loyal to the embattled Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasidi Ladoja, Tuesday, explained that they decided to distance themselves from the impeachment plan against the governor because it was not in the public interest but rather ' mere selfish agenda of some forces in the state'.
The group of 14 lawmakers loyal to the embattled Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasidi Ladoja, Tuesday, explained that they decided to distance themselves from the impeachment plan against the governor because it was not in the public interest but rather ' mere selfish agenda of some forces in the state'.
Besides, the leader of the Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE, Pa. Emmanuel Alayande and leaders of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, CCII, led the business mogul, Chief Bode Amao, are expected to meet with the President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, today, Wednesday, on how best to resolve the impasse between Governor Ladoja and his embittered political godfather, Chief Lamidi Adedibu before the face-off turned into full blown crisis.
Addressing newsmen in Ibadan, spokepersons of the group, Hon. Josiah Idowu and Hon. Dauda Titilola, accompanied by their colleagues, also faulted the decision of the group 18 lawmakers, who are at the vanguard of the impeachment plan not to obey the injunction of the law court against them, describing it as dishonourable.
"It is because we are not hooligans that we chose the path of honour by going to court. We will allow the rule of law to take its course. Already, the court has asked the G18 to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit before it.
"But in as much as we are not going to join issue with our colleague that had turned himself to the acting Clerk of the House, Hon. Babatunde Eesuola, that they are not going to respect the ruling of the court by quoting section 188 (10) that the impeachment is unchallengeable in court, that section is only applicable when all the concommitant prerequisites of that process are followed.
Not in a situation where the quorum are not formed and the impeachment notice could not be issued", they stated.
According to Hon. Titilola, who is also the Deputy Speaker of the House, impeachment process is like tenancy agreement where the landlord is not allowed to eject the tenant until some notices and procedures have been duly followed.
Reacting to the declaration of Adedibu that the governor would be impeached this week, Hon. Idowu, described it as an act of playing God, urging the people of the state to wake up to safeguard democracy.
"The other aspect is the statement credited to our respected party leader, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, that the governor will be impeached this week. I don't think it is reasonable for any human being to play God.
"The reason for saying this is because, even, if the House takes a decision that is not in the overall interest of the public, the public still has the power to overrule that decision of the House.
"We have seen it happened in so many places. We are in government to serve the people and our decision should be in the interest of the people. This is a government that was put in place by virtually everybody in the state", he added.
While decribing the move to impeach the governor as a selfish agenda of some party leaders in the state, Josiah urged all parties in the crisis to allow the party machinery being expected in the state from Abuja, as well as the legal steps so far instituted on the matter, to resolve the crisis.
Meanwhile, Daily Sun learnt yesterday that a powerful team of elders of Ibadanland led by the nonagenarian educationist, Pa Emmanuel Alayande, would today meet with President Olusegun Obasanjo to fashion out ways of resolving the crisis.
A notable member of the team, who preferred not to be mentioned, told Daily Sun that the team, comprising of business moguls, investors, leaders of thought and traditional heads, decided to meet Obasanjo because of the impact the untimely resolution of the crisis might have on the nation's nascent democracy.
"We have resolved to go to Obasanjo today. We have been watching the situation since last week. It is not that we have not been doing anything on it before, but we felt now that we just have to come in to save the situation because of the atomic impact it is likely to have on the nation's democracy. We are concerned about the crisis especially from the hindsight view of Nigeria's politics. We will not want this democracy to collapse", the source told Daily Sun.
Meanwhile, the court is expected to come out with a specific position on the impeachment plot today while the party's delegation, led by the Deputy National Chairman (North), is also being awaited as at press time.