The political crisis in Ogun State c,imaxed yesterday, as nine of the 26-member House of Assembly said it has removed the Speaker, Tunji Egbetokun. He was immediately replaced with Soyemi Coker.

We reliably gathered that the nine lawmakers, who are said to be loyalists of the governor, Gbenga Daniel, slept within the Assembly complex on Sunday night, to enable them carry out the impeachment, which they did as early as 7am.

They were alleged to have made use of the mace belonging to the Abeokuta South Local Government legislative arm, to carry out the operation, having burgled the Assembly’s chambers.

It can’t be

But Mr Egbetokun, in a swift response, described the purported impeachment as illegal and part of a plot to scuttle the proposed debate of the N100 billion controversial bond slated for Wednesday. He reaffirmed his leadership in the House of Assembly.

However, Mr Coker later told journalists that the reign of his predecessor was over and that the House under his leadership has approved the bond requested by the governor.

“After due consultation with our various constituents, traditional rulers and chiefs, labour unions, clubs and associations, prominent Ogun stakeholders, we hereby, approve the House resolution that the state government should proceed to the bond market immediately to source for N100 billion in tranches of N26 billion, N34 billion and N40 billion for various outstanding and developmental projects evenly spread across the three senatorial districts of the state,” he said.

To create a conducive atmosphere for the lawmakers to carry out their plot, a private security official attached to the complex, identified as Nureni, was said to have been held hostage and his mobile phone seized by the lawmakers while the operations lasted.

At 8.30am when we visited the Assembly complex, the lawmakers who claimed to have impeached Mr Egbetokun, were sighted. Also on the premises were Titi Oseni (former Speaker) and Omosanya Solaja who are known supporters of the governor and who had been suspended by the House. Staff of the Assembly were not allowed in by policemen guarding the premises.

The commissioner of police in the state was said not to be aware of the deployment of a new set of police officers to complement efforts of those already assigned to the Assembly before yesterday’s incident.

A Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was sighted at the Assembly questioning the presence of a large number of police officers there. In response, one of them told him that they were deployed there on alert, that there was a plot by some people to bomb the Assembly.

Lingering crisis

The nine lawmakers, in a statement, said their action was necessitated “by the cry of our various constituents to bail out Ogun State from the lingering crisis that has beset us for the past two to three years.”

He equally read out a riot act that all the other factions of the Assembly, known as G-15, have been suspended “for gross misconduct against the institution of the Ogun State Legislature, the government and people of Ogun State”. Mr Soyemi, in addition, said he had reviewed the suspension of Titi Oseni and Omosanya Solaja and found it wholly unnecessary, unjust and overdue, and lifted the suspension with all legislative privileges restored and all losses to be paid in full.

Other resolutions reached by them ,according to him, include: approval of the 2010 supplementary budget of N26 billion, appointment of Yemi Akinwonmi as the new Commissioner of Education, confirmed the nominee of the governor into Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission and dissolution of all existing committees.

He said the principal officers for the House include: Ayo-Odugbesan (Deputy Speaker), Bankole Durotolu Oyebode (majority leader), Musa Maruf (Chief Whip), Abiodun Oluseyi Moses (Deputy Majority Leader) and Adeleke Salmon (Deputy Chief Whip).

Mr Egebtokun, in his reaction said, “They know the debate will open everything. The governor did not know we will go for the debate. Four days ago, he called the clerk of the House to know whether we are serious about the debate, and when the clerk told him that we are going ahead and even armed with documents, he became more apprehensive.”

“The commissioner of finance is on the run, the accountant-general is nowhere to be found. They cannot impeach me. They are just nine and two of them are still under suspension. They are wasting their time. I don’t want to join issues with them. They are acting under some spell. We are on top of the situation.” Meanwhile, there were reports last night that Mr Egbetokun’s house in Akute, Ogun State, was invaded by armed bandits yesterday. He was not at home when they came. The former Speaker said his landlord called him to confirm the incident.

LIST OF THE 9 LAWMAKERS WHO LAUNCHED THE IMPEACHMENT

1. Emmanuel Soyemi Coker

2. Bankole Durotolu

3. Musa Maruf

4. Abiodun Oluseyi Moses

5. Salmon Adeleke

6. Omosanya Solaja

7. Titi Oseni

8. Kojeku David

9. Adegbesan J.F

*Edwards Ayo-Odugbesan and Fasiu Bakenne did not attend the sitting but signed the statement.

Link:
http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5615753-146/ogun_speaker_impeached_bond_approved_.csp

What a load of crap! So 9 out of 22 now forms a quorum to make such a decision. If they cannot subject the bond to a public debate, then it should be reversed immediately by the legal speaker. After he finishes his term, the people of Ogun should put him in a corner and stone him to death.

wonderful, so ogun state hasnt outgrown this bull crap, they want to follow the path of plateau

Thieves.

Any concerned Ogun youth group should kill these nine.

I expect discerning investors and/or financial institutions to avoid the N100 billion bond like a plague.

i thought Ibime and Mbulela said the debate was supposed to rubber stamp the bond thingy

The speaker i know CAN NEVER be a part of that bond scam

now the battle line is drawn, the 11 legislators that sacked the speaker and vetoed the bond have just written their names in the dark pit of hell

they should henceforth walk and look back intermittently as they and their fams are not safe

asswipes

so they think with all the negatives, people would be interested in the bond?

jokers

The democracy we are practicing in Nigeria is just a joke and it is obvious we dont even understand what running a democratic government is all about. Nine of twenty six members house at just a sitting impeached the leadership of the house without any prior notice, suspended 15 of their colleagues, approved #100bn bond, approved the state supplementary budget and confirmed a nominee for commissioner. God help us in this country oooooooooo.

The ousted Reps should petition the Senate and Presidency

let the center declare a state of emergency in Ogun

let a new admin come and oversee the remanining 9 months and lets see how OGD would not die in prison

tkb417:

The ousted Reps should petition the Senate and Presidency

let the center declare a state of emergency in Ogun

let a new admin come and oversee the remanining 9 months and lets see how OGD would not die in prison

declare state of emergency in the Ogun state? do you think Ogun Leaders are paper weight like Ekiti and plateau? its not possible, about the ousted reps petitioning the senate and presidency, why do we like making thing the wrong way, LET THEM GO TO COURT

100bn bond, WOW, all that cash to be used for the 2011 election and no developmental project in the state. How long will it take the state to repay? perhaps in another 100 years

tkb417:

The ousted Reps should petition the Senate and Presidency
let the center declare a state of emergency in Ogun

let a new admin come and oversee the remanining 9 months and lets see how OGD would not die in prison

They did 'petition' the Presidency and nothing happened !!! I think , for some of us , it is still not clear that Jonathan is a Wolf in Sheep clothing happy to act as bad and as callously as OBJ did if that will get Mr.President what he wants. OGD is now an "untouchable" because he has pledged to work for Jonathan. Is this not how OBJ announced , circa 2006/7 , something to the effect that "Daniel may be a rogue/devil but he is our (PDP) rogue/devil" after Daniel had pledged to work to secure the victory of Yardy?

http://www.thisdayonline.com/

Only two weeks ago, members of the G15 Assembly members wrote to the Presidency complaining of intimidation and under-funding of the assembly by the executive arm of government.

In the letter dated August 24 with reference number HA.225/T/1 and sent directly to President Goodluck Jonathan, the House members drew the president’s attention to what they called “certain ugly developments which for long have been brewing in Ogun State but which have assumed a very worsening and dangerous dimension”.

The letter signed by Egbetokun, Hon. Remmy Hassan (Deputy Speaker), and Hon. Sewendo Fasinu (Majority Leader) lamented that “governance has become barbaric, irresponsible, defiant, riotous, chaotic and largely undemocratic”.

Gbawe:


They did 'petition' the Presidency and nothing happened !!! I think , for some of us , it is still not clear that Jonathan is a Wolf in Sheep clothing happy to act as bad and as callously as OBJ did if that will get Mr.President what he wants. OGD is now an "untouchable" because he has pledged to work for Jonathan. Is this not how OBJ announced , circa 2006/7 , something to the effect that "Daniel may be a rogue/devil but he is our (PDP) rogue/devil" after Daniel had pledged to work to secure the victory of Yardy?

http://www.thisdayonline.com/

why do you hate GOODLUCK SO MUCH BROTHER? THIS IS HATRED WITHOUT FAIRNESS AND REASONING

seanet02:

why do you hate GOODLUCK SO MUCH BROTHER? THIS IS HATRED WITHOUT FAIRNESS AND REASONING

Thank you for your conclusion Sigmund Freud. I will get help with my hate issues

seanet02:

why do you hate GOODLUCK SO MUCH BROTHER? THIS IS HATRED WITHOUT FAIRNESS AND REASONING

Hmmm. u no know Gbawe for here? He works hard trying to map every thing bad to GEJ, which to me is no problem. He sees nothing right in GEJ, and mind you, this started from GEJ's days as acting president. He, like everyone else is entitled to his opinion. What I struggle with however is the ease with which he labels whoever tries to correct this obsession as biased and blinded.

Gbenga Daniel has become a calamity on Ogun State. Guys, what's the way forward?

Ogun State is now under the full bondage of OGD.I weep for the future of the state.100billion bond for what purpose_ Prosperity will judge you all.