Posted by From AKEEB ALARAPE, Ibadan on
Barely 48 hours to the expiration of their tenure, 18 lawmakers of the Oyo State House of Assembly, who spearheaded the illegal impeachment of former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, re-enacted their audacity again yesterday, as they held a hurried sitting of the House and announced names of new Caretaker Committee members for the 33 local government areas in the state.
Barely 48 hours to the expiration of their tenure, 18 lawmakers of the Oyo State House of Assembly, who spearheaded the illegal impeachment of former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, re-enacted their audacity again yesterday, as they held a hurried sitting of the House and announced names of new Caretaker Committee members for the 33 local government areas in the state.
Ladoja's successor and former deputy-governor of the state, Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, had on Tuesday, shortly after his swearing-in, announced the dissolution of newly elected local government executives put in place by his former boss.
At a sitting held around 5p.m, amidst heavy security, Majority Leader of the House, Taoheed Abiola Ayorinde, who presided over the sitting, pointed out that there was no local government election in the state last Thursday as claimed by Ladoja.
At a deliberation that lasted less than 30 minutes, the lawmakers approved new list of caretaker committees for the 33 councils in the state.
Former Speaker of the House, Hon Moruf Atilola, in his comment during the deliberation pointed out that ‘there is an existing court order by Justice Iyabo Yerima stopping the kangaroo election conducted last Thursday.
"Also, the security report in the state did not favour the conduct of the election. In fact, there was no election in the state last Thursday. I don't know how OYSIEC came about the result they announced," he stated.
According to the lawmakers, the new list of council caretakers would be sworn-in today by the new governor, Alao-Akala.
But reacting to the action of the pro-impeachment lawmakers, a new member of the House (names withheld) said their action holds no water since the speaker of the House was not at the floor of the House and neither did the 18 lawmakers constitute two third majority of the House that could successfully deliberate on council affairs.
"As far as I am concerned, there was no sitting of the House. They only went there to play drama. It is a huge joke. When we resume, we will sanitize the place," the in-coming lawmaker stated, begging for anonymity.