Scores of supporters of Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose yesterday blocked all access roads
leading to the state House of Assembly complex
in a bid to prevent any impeachment proceedings.
They arrived at the vicinity as early as 8a.m. and
staged a protest around the complex.
Their action was consequent upon a rumour that
the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC)
lawmakers, who form the majority in the
assembly, would storm the complex to sit and
impeach Fayose from office.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyalists
stormed the assembly area singing pro-Fayose
songs and lashing at the APC lawmakers for
harbouring plans to remove the governor, who
they claimed “is innocent of the impeachable
offences”.
Backed by some government and party officials,
they used a government-owned Ashok Leyland
luxury bus to block the access road – Saliu
Adeoti Road – to prevent the opposition
lawmakers from gaining access to the complex.
Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola; former House of
Assembly Speaker, Olatunji Odeyemi and Special
Assistant on Information, Youth and Sports, Lanre
Ogunsuyi, were on hand to support the
protesters.
About nine Toyota Hilux vans belonging to the
police and Department of State Services (DSS),
conveying heavily armed operatives, were parked
at the two main entrances leading to the
assembly complex.
The PDP members later turned the blockade into
a roadshow, singing and dancing to music at the
gate of the House of Assembly Service
Commission.
They were prevented from coming near the new
assembly complex by the battle-ready and stern-
looking security men, drafted there to maintain
law and order.
Many of the protesters, who were weary of
singing and dancing and could no longer
withstand the heat of the sun, sat under canopies
placed in front of the old assembly complex.
Addressing reporters on the purpose of the
blockade, Ogunsuyi said Ekiti people were ready
to take their destiny in their hands by fighting for
the mandate they gave to Fayose on June 21 last
year.
The governor’s aide insisted that all the actions
of the APC lawmakers reeked of illegality and
impunity, saying Dr. Adewale Omirin was no
longer the Speaker and lacked the power to
preside over the assembly.
Ogunsuyi added that Omirin was already in court
challenging his impeachment, saying he could not
be laying claim to the position.
He added that the APC lawmakers were
desecrating the rule of law and the constitution.
He said: “The new Nigeria, which President
Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari
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 the 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 would continue to wave the olive branch to
the opposition lawmakers for Ekiti to remain in
peace and harmony.
He said: “We want some measures of decorum in
Ekiti. We are not proud of the era when we had
three governors within a week. We want a stable
government and we will continue to pursue this
for Ekiti to be at peace.”
Odeyemi advised the APC lawmakers to put the
interest of the state above personal or partisan
interests, warning that breakdown of law and
order was an ill-wind that won’t blow any good.
He said: “The entire issue calls for concerns. As a
former legislator, I am quite aware of the
rudiment of impeachment process. But far from
this, the issue of the news any impeachment will
bring to Ekiti’s credibility is uppermost in my
mind.”

The governor’s aide insisted that all the actions of the APC lawmakers reeked of illegality and impunity, saying Dr. Adewale Omirin was no
longer the Speaker and lacked the power to
preside over the assembly.