Posted by By LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja on
The Governors Forum has vowed not to recognize the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Friday Aderemi, who was sworn in on Monday to replace the impeached governor of the state, Ayo Fayose.
The Governors Forum has vowed not to recognize the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Friday Aderemi, who was sworn in on Monday to replace the impeached governor of the state, Ayo Fayose.
Edo State governor, Lucky Igbinedion, who is the chairman of the Forum, told State House correspondents that the Ekiti Assembly lawmakers violated the Constitution and the governors would not let their action stick.
Speaking shortly after a meeting with President Olusegun Obasanjo at the State House, soon after Fayose's impeachment was announced, Igbinedion insisted that the spate of unconstitutional impeachments across the country would derail the nation's democracy and that the Forum will also come out with a communiqué on the events in Plateau and Anambra states.
He was accompanied to the Villa by his Delta State counterpart, James Ibori and the National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmadu Ali. Igbinedion said the Governors Forum will abide by the Constitution with the regard to the unfolding drama in Ekiti State.
According to him; 'We made our position clear that they should follow due process and the Constitution. The Constitution is very clear about how a governor should be impeached.
'The House of Assembly of any state has no right to appoint a Chief Judge of any state especially when the incumbent governor is still on seat. As far as we are concerned the Forum will not recognize the illegality that is taking place in Ekiti state right now".
He said no legal action would be taken now, stressing; 'we will not sue as a body but we are saying that we will not recognize illegality that is going on there right now by not allowing who is acting illegally there to be a member of the Governors Forum".
Still on Anambra, he said 'I don't have the full details of the situation in Anambra State now but anything that does not follow the constitution or due process, we shall not support or recognize".
Regarding the gale of impeachments or attempted impeachments of governors across the country, Igbinedion said the Forum will adequately inform Nigerians of any unconstitutional actions taken in any of the concerned states.
'This is not what we bargained for; this is not the best for our nation. It retards the democratic dividends that we all fought for in the past seven years. So, it will not be wise to now derail our democracy through illegalities, jungle justice and cowboying", he pointed out.