With what seemed like a move to prevent an a purported move by the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the Ekiti State House of Assembly to reconvene on Monday , followers of Governor Ayò Fayose as well as Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) moved to the streets heading to the assembly to hold “a meeting and picnic .” The supporters’ action was irrespective of the belief that Monday was a public holiday , but was proven to have adopted “strong , reliable rumors” that the APC members of the assembly were preparing to hold a sitting on Monday , to impeach Governor Fayose .
Members of PDP actually took over the roads heading to the Assembly complex , set up tents , establish a mini carnival and laid in wait for any one of the occasions which had been rumoured . They were at the venue under the watch of policemen , as well as men of the Department of State Security ( DSS ) , who were in a total of nine Toyota Hilux vans and who took positions at the two entrances of the Assembly complex . However , the PDP members conducted themselves in a peaceful way , when they danced to the sound being provided while in front of the old Assembly complex , where they were restricted to by security agencies. A number of them as well sat calmly under the canopies set up in front of the old Assembly building , some meters off of the new complex .
Notable members of the PDP who attended the funfare held in front of the Assembly complex included the deputy governor , Dr Kolapo Olusola , former Speaker , House of Assembly , Mr Tunji Odeyemi , Special Assistant to the Governor on Information , Mr Lanre Ogunsuyi , his colleague in the Public Communications , Lere Olayinka , among others. They got to the secretariat as early as 8 .00 a .m . and discussed issues bordering on the impeachment issue that had generated so much anxiety and Saturday’s House of Assembly election .
A member of the party told the Nigerian Tribune that they “heard that the APC lawmakers planned to sneak into the assembly and we had to move our picnic to the Assembly complex and bring the deserted streets to life with our music .” Ogunsuyi , said the development , nevertheless , stated the Omirin-led lawmakers erred in law by claiming that they had sent a notice of impeachment to the governor , stating that it had been a total misfire for Omirin to be saying Speakership while also challenging his impeachment in the court of law .
He said : “The new Nigeria which President Goodluck Jonathan and Major-General Muhammadu Buhari all campaigned for is the one that would respect the rule of law . With this convergence , you can see that the people are standing by their governor . They are ready to defend their mandate . “Nobody asked Omirin and other APC lawmakers not to come to the Assembly , they only decided to abdicate their duties since last year November 17 . Impeachment procedure does not start and end with Assembly alone . The Judiciary is involved ; so , this plan is highly condemnable .
“We want to emphasise that they are welcome , as long as they are concerned about making laws for the progress of the state , but if it was meant to come and impeach Governor Fayose , we won’t allow that .” Ogunsuyi , however , said the governor as the leader of the state would continue to spread olive branch to the lawmakers for state to remain in peace and harmony .
“We don’t want any unwholesome issue because the task of developing Ekiti is an onerous task that needed to be pursued with vigour . The governor doesn’t want any distraction and that is why he has been pursuing peace at all times .” Meanwhile , Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State , on Monday said he has not been served any impeachment notice by any member of the state House of Assembly .
Fayose also said that nobody asked him to resign as the state governor , contrary to the reports in a section of the media . Governor Fayose , who spoke while featuring on a monthly live programme in the electronic media in the state tagged ‘The Governor Explains’ , urged his supporters not to be rattled by the impeachment fever , saying he would defeat the APC yet again in the next round of election .
He said the impeachment threat flying round the state did not rattle him in any way , saying “enemies of Ekiti are at work again , nobody served me any impeachment notice .” According to him , the plot against him was against the people of the state , who put him in the present position. The governor said what the APC wanted was “to take over the state and plunge the state into crisis the way they did after he left in 2006 .”
Fayose maintained that the plan to impeach him “won’t be successful the way it happened during his first term .” According to him , “what actually infuriated the APC is that during the June 21 election , I gave them 16-0 . Again , during the presidential election , I gave them 16-0 again . They know that I will give them 26-0 during Saturday’s election . “Major General Muhammadu Buhari emerged due to grace of God . If President Goodluck Jonathan had won , would he have gone to impeach Governor Rauf Aregbesola in Osun State or Senator Ibikunle Amosun in Ogun State ?
“Buhari’s emergence can only be a threat to my seat when there is no rule of law , because Nigeria is a federation state . Even the former Speaker , Honourable Adewale Omirin is not the Speaker , so he cannot carry out any impeachment against me .”
Fayose urged the people of the state to come out en masse during the April 5 elections and cast their votes for the PDP , to stem the tide of violence in the state . “My government is a people’s government and no power of darkness can remove me from office , because we are doing what is right . Must I be in the APC for me to be governor ? They were in the opposition before they took over and we will continue to exist together ,” Fayose said
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