Aribisogan identified eight lawmakers who were involved in the impeachment even though the House has 26 lawmakers.
Chief Wole Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has termed the ongoing leadership squabble in the Ekiti State House of Assembly as a situation that depicted the state in a mocking manner.
SaharaReporters had on Monday reported that the House Speaker, Gboyega Aribisogan, was illegally impeached and suspended indefinitely by some members of the Assembly loyal to former Governor, Kayode Fayemi.
Aribisogan identified eight lawmakers who were involved in the impeachment even though the House has 26 lawmakers.
Olubunmi Adelugba, who lost to Aribisogan in the election last Tuesday, was elected as the new Speaker.
Commenting on this incident, Chief Olanipekun, in a statement made available to SaharaReporters, urged the disputing parties to find way to settle their differences for the benefit of the state.
His statement read, “In the past few days , our dear state , the State of Ekiti has been in the news, not particularly positive and exciting news, but within a space of two days, and less than two weeks after her late Speaker, Rt Hon Funminiyi Afuye was laid to rest at his country home in Ikere, the House of Assembly convened, according to reports, to elect a new Speaker, and at the end of the exercise, Rt Hon Olugboyega Aribisogun was elected Speaker, having polled 15 votes to defeat his opponent or co-contestant, Hon Olubunmi Adelugba , who polled 10 votes.
"Less than twenty fours thereafter, news filtering out from the state was to the effect that the police sealed off the House of Assembly and prevented the legislators from gaining entrance thereto. As at noon on Monday, November 22 , 2022 , it was alleged that the newly elected Speaker, Hon Olugboyega Aribisogun had been impeached, and in his stead, Hon Olubunmi Adelugba who had earlier lost out to him in a keenly contested election four days earlier, was elected Speaker.
“The Aribisogun faction contends that this is a farce, and that Aribisogun remains the Speaker , meaning that for now, Ekiti State parades two contending Speakers of a twenty six member House of Assembly, and two factions of the same House, each claiming to be authentic, legitimate and constitutional, and perhaps, making laws for the state, and more specifically, deliberating on both the supplementary budget and the 2022/23 budget.
"What a mid winter comic display which now makes Ekiti a laughing stock and pitiable enclave in Nigeria in particular, and the entire world generally. For those who feign ignorance of history, let them be reminded of a similar inter- change of premiership chair between Akintola and Adegbenro in the old Western Region, and that the fracas that broke out subsequent thereto was the beginning of the demise of the first republic. "Although the politicians behind the ongoing parliamentary fiasco in Ekiti may see it as business as usual, they should be told in no unmistakable language that it is a veritable threat to the peace, order and good government of the state and unless nipped in the bud now or immediately, the consequences may be far reaching.
"It is rather unfortunate that the ruling party in the state has chosen this bizarre manner and route to welcome to office the Governor produced on its own ticket. They are most unfair to both the bee Sheriff and the good people of the State.
“As an elder and stakeholder in the state, I plead to all the feuding parties and their sponsors qua backers to sheath their swords. They should be reminded that the State does not belong to them alone, but to all of us ; in fact , the politicians are in the minority, hence they should stop seeing , taking and treating the state as their fiefdom , property or estate.
"Now, my proposal to end this self imposed crisis : Let the Speaker, freely elected by the legislators , Hon Olugboyega Aribisogun be, while the Deputy Speaker, who was elected alongside the late Hon Funminiyi Afuye retain his position. To me , this is a win - win approach , and in my private discussions with some principal actors in the unwelcome drama, I have made this proposal , but politicians always but wrongly believe that they possess the monopoly of wisdom.
“I am not happy that the state is not making progress as expected. I am not a politician and I have no ambition to be one , not even at my age. My friends, allies and admirers cut across all political divides in the State and Nigeria . While I invest heavily in the state, I do not earn a Kobo from the state , and no government in the State has ever patronised me or my office or paid me a dime. Contrariwise , I have continuously extended human, material and financial assistance to the state and several of her citizens. I say this without being immodest but out of compulsion.
"Therefore , I cannot be a convenient target of any attack or blackmail simply because I suggested reconciliation. I want to plead with our people to stop this unenviable passion and pastime of pulling themselves down. It does not pay; and it has never paid us. Howbeit, nobody can coerce anyone to any reconciliation, and I do not have the prerogative or power to do so."