Senior lawyers from Ekiti State on Tuesday condemned the impeachment of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Gboyega Aribosogan, as unacceptable, describing the action as a coup against the state.
The senior lawyers — Aare Afe Babalola, Chief Wole Olanipekun, Dele Adesina, Olu Daramola, Femi Falana, Dayo Akinlaja and Gboyega Oyewole — insisted that Aribisogan remained the speaker and that the action of the Olubunmi Adelugba group was null and void. he said he could not continue as a speaker.
The lawyers declared: “Ekiti State House of Assembly impeachment saga: this constitutional and democratic folly must stop henceforth!”.
Aribisogan, who was Head of Government Business, on November 15 secured 15 votes as replacement speaker for the late Funminiyi Afuye after defeating former Chief Whip Adelugba who secured 10 votes.
But some lawmakers met in plenary on November 21 and elected Adelugba following the impeachment of Aribosogan for sabotaging the passage of the 2022 appropriations bill, among other allegations.
But the senior lawyers stated, “Hon. Olubunmi Adelugba cannot continue in office as the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, and we respectfully request him to desist from parading, presenting or posing as the speaker of the state, as doing so is nothing short of illegal and unconstitutional. , but as well as duration in that illegal enterprise.
“Also, we call upon the members of the House of Assembly to ensure that all senior officers of the House, including the Deputy Speaker, Chief Whip, Majority Leader, etc., remain in office, without any complaint or any attempt to replace any of them.”
They asked how Aribosogan could commit an offense since the Assembly was sealed off by the Police the day after the inauguration.
Senior lawyers have also questioned whether he has faced the charges against him to warrant a suspension.
As they stated, “the suspension and stoppage of the supposed salaries of the speaker and the other six members of parliament is no less, illegal, legal, nothing.
“If we are not careful, and we all seal our lips, fold our arms and relax in our seats and let this viciousness and impunity go unchecked, in the distant future the governor of the state would be impeached and forced out. out of office in the same way.
“This is completely unreasonable, unjustified and reprehensible. Arguably, the charanda sponsors and members of the House have delivered a coup d’état to the entire state, meaning that the suspension of more than a quarter of the members of the house is equally affected. that the members of their constituencies have also been suspended from the state.’
SANS, which said the money stopped on the desk of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, said his silence “in the face of the apparent threat to the peace, order, good governance and harmony of the state is not the best”.
They advised the House to “recognize the inviolable nature of the sovereignty of the Legislative Chamber and to desist from leaving it to outsiders or powers, that is, to usurp constitutionally and democratically vested powers and powers, rights and privileges.”
On the other hand, Aribosogan, who said that the action of the member of parliament could not be before the law, expressed himself sure that the court will declare the act of “kangaroo and illegal imputation” as a crime.
He said he had instructed his lawyers to pursue the case in court.
“Even if 24 of the 25 members of the Assembly were present, it would have been illegal because they did not follow the proper procedure. In terms of procedure, it was wrong to enter that place by 5:30 in the morning and challenge it by 06:00.
“The Standing Orders of the Ekiti State House of Assembly said that the House shall convene by 10:00 for both parliamentary and plenary sittings, not 6:00.
“After that, the fact that the police had sealed the place earlier, how they entered and made that kangaroo and the illegal charge on Monday, the police were saying they were protecting the place remains a question they still need to answer,” Aribosogan said.
