Posted by sola shittu, Ibadan on
Embattled Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeolu Adeleke said his removal by the 18 pro-Adedibu lawmakers was not unconnected with his refusal to take the sum of N25 million bribe from the Adedibu group who were trying to win him to their side so that he can abandon Governor Rashidi Ladoja that he was leading 13 other lawmakers in the state to support.
Embattled Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeolu Adeleke said his removal by the 18 pro-Adedibu lawmakers was not unconnected with his refusal to take the sum of N25 million bribe from the Adedibu group who were trying to win him to their side so that he can abandon Governor Rashidi Ladoja that he was leading 13 other lawmakers in the state to support.
Adeleke in an exclusive chat with Saturday Independent on the phone said as far as he was concerned, his removal had no impact on him because he remained the authentic Speaker of the House adding that he was already talking with the lawyers of the Ladoja group to know what to do on his removal.
'Left for me, I am not bothered by their action because all they want to do is to use me to legalise their illegalities.
'I have said it that all they are doing now cannot stand the test of time and very soon posterity will judge all of us. It is what our fathers , the likes of Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, have done that we are talking about up till today. The question we should ask ourselves is what would be said of us after this crisis. These are people I know very well, I mean all the 18 lawmakers, they are not serious-minded people. Most of them are drunkards. Most of the time they come to the chamber drunk, smelling of beer .So I'm not surprised by their actions" said Adeleke.
According to him, the lawmakers are intoxicated by what they have drunk and that is why he could not take any of their actions or decisions serious.
He maintained that on many occasions, the lawmakers and their godfather had made overtures to him, trying to induce him with money.
'These are not amounts that you go to the bank for. I mean cool cash in Ghana-must-go-bags. But I have my conscience. I cannot sell my conscience for money. They have tried it before when they wanted to impeach the governor and I told them off.
'How many of the 18 lawmakers can stand on what they say? Remember they are just coming out of an hotel. I can tell you what every one of them drink individually.
'It is not unexpected that they might have drowned their minds in alcohol," said Adeleke.
He explained to Saturday Independent that he was outside Ibadan at the moment and would rather pursue the line of justice that they are already pursuing rather than joining issues with them.
'We thank everybody for their support. We know that truth will prevail, no matter how long and we believe that that time is very near" said the Speaker.
Following the ignoble removal of Ladoja from office, all the 14 lawmakers on his side and all his aides have gone underground and rarely showed up in public while Akala continue to battle with the various questions of credibility for his government.
Meanwhile counsel to Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, and Femi Falana will on Monday return to Oyo State High Court in Ibadan to argue before Justice Bolaji Yusuf the motion on whether the ruling by the court nullifying the setting up of the seven-man panel by the Acting Chief Judge be transferred to the Appeal court or not.
Justice Yusuf had ruled that the application by Ladoja's counsel on whether the ruling be taken to Appeal Court be taken first before the application by the counsel to Alao Akala that the court ruling be quashed. She said if she ruled against the application of Ladoja's counsel, she would then consider the application for the reversal of her ruling nullifying the panel that investigated Ladoja filed by Barrister Folorunso Lana and Lekan Latinwo.