Eighteen lawmakers of the Ondo state House of Assembly on Thursday resisted suspension moves against factional speaker Olamide George.
The moves were made by Speaker Bamidele Oloyeloogun following a petition against George, who was accused of purportedly addressing himself as the Speaker of the House in a letter written to the Debt Management Office (DMO), Abuja.
The letter was read at the floor of the House.
Sixteen lawmakers, who purportedly impeached the leadership of the House last month, were said to have reportedly asked the DMO not to give the state government loan or do any business with it.
But some of the lawmakers that signed the impeachment notice denied the letter and revealed their signatures were forged at the plenary.
Oloyelogun said the letter brought the House to disrepute.
Consequently, he constituted a five-member committee headed by Sule Maito to investigate the letter and petitions against George.
He thereafter declared the letter to DMO as null and void, urging the Debt Office to continue to do business with the state government.
Oleyelogun also suspended George but was resisted by the 18 lawmakers at the floor of the House.
They refused to vote for the suspension.
Former Deputy Speaker Fatai Olotu and former Majority leader, Dayo Akinsoyinnu, who were among the 16 lawmakers that impeached the leadership, pleaded for leniency.
According to them, the Speaker should allow the committee to do its work by giving the indicted lawmaker, George, a fair-hearing.
The Deputy Speaker, Ogundeji Iroju, who was allegedly impeached with the Speaker, urged the leadership of the House to rescind the suspension till the committee’s report is delivered at the House.
Oloyeloogun revoked the suspension and tasked other committee members to report their findings to the Assembly within three weeks, adjourning to January 11, 2019.
The Majority Leader, Olugbenga Araoyinbo, who was part of the 16 lawmakers that supported George as factional Speaker, also denied the letter to the DMO.
He said the same signatures used for the impeachment notice in November, which was disclaimed by Sunday Olajide, were used for the letter.
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