Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has broken his silence on the recent impeachment of Olakunle Oluomo as Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly.
According to the governor, he respects the lawmakers’ decision and will work towards finding a lasting solution to the leadership crisis.
Olakunle Oluomo, who represents the Ifo I constituency, was removed from his position on Tuesday by 18 out of 26 members of the Assembly, citing allegations of gross misconduct, high-handedness, and financial misappropriation.
The embattled former Speaker is also facing legal hurdles, having been dragged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over similar accusations.
In a statement released on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media, Kayode Akinmade, Governor Abiodun acknowledged the internal wrangling within the Assembly and said the government is committed to resolving the issue democratically and fairly.
The statement reads: “The Government of Ogun State has keenly taken note of the events on the floor of the Ogun State House of Assembly on Tuesday regarding the alleged impeachment of the Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Olakunle Oluomo, by members of the legislative arm during a sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Bolanle Ajayi.
“Working with the leadership of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the government intends to see all the contending issues resolved in a democratic, fair, and just manner.
“There had been internal wrangling in the Assembly that had persisted and degenerated despite several interventions.
“The Ogun State government notes that the Honourable Members have openly stated that their group is not with the Governor, to whom they again pledged their loyalty.
“It is the prerogative of members of the House of Assembly to choose their leadership in line with the constitution and the law guiding the conduct of the Assembly.
“Given that the Ogun electorate gave us a mandate to represent their best interests and deliver democratic dividends that will significantly improve their well-being, the Ogun State government, along with the party leadership, have intervened to ensure that whatever disagreement members have is resolved peacefully and amicably, so that the delivery of democratic dividends to our people will not be hampered in any way.
“The Ogun State government considers all members of the House of Assembly as partners in the Building our Future agenda and will always prioritise issues that affect them.”
