The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kola Oluwawole

  • Fayose hands over to HOS, presides over last cabinet meeting

    Outgoing Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose Friday evening handed over the instruments of office to the Head of Service, Dr. Gbenga Faseluka.

    He surrendered the handover note to Faseluka at a special valedictory State Executive Council meeting at the new Governor’s Office in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    Fayose said history would be kind to him the way he managed the resources in trust for the people of the Fountain of Knowledge.

    That would be the last time he would preside over the cabinet meeting in his capacity as the state chief executive.

    The departing governor said he would be available to answer questions on who he ruled the state anytime he is called upon to do so.

    The special cabinet meeting was attended by traditional rulers, legislators, senior government officials and party leaders.

    In an emotion-laden voice, Fayose said: “What has a beginning must have an end. It is not the number of years spent but the quantity and quality of achievements.

    “I thank the people of the state for their cooperation and urge them to extend same to the incoming administration.

    “There should never be a vacuum; our priority in Ekiti must be discharge of our duties.

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    “I’m a man who came, saw and conquered. I can’t finish all, I have done my best.

    “History will be kind on me as a man who has given his best to the people. I will remember all for your support, I bear no grudges against anyone.”

    Thanking the people of Ekiti for their support, Fayose urged them to cooperate with the incoming administration to take the state to greater heights.

    Earlier, Fayose had inaugurated the new Speaker’s Lodge named after the last occupier of the state number one legislative seat, Kola Oluwawole.

    Oluwawole was removed as Speaker on Thursday by the state lawmakers and was replaced with Adeniran Alagbada.

    Fayose urged the deposed Speaker to see his impeachment as a “price of leadership.”

    He told Oluwawole: “If I were you, in the interest of Ekiti, I will tell them to carry on. Everything works for good.”

  • Why we shut down ‎Ekiti Assembly – Speaker

    The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Kola Oluwawole, on Thursday announced the indefinite shut down of the Assembly.

    Oluwawole said at a press conference in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, that the decision followed Wednesday’s invasion of the Assembly complex by “strange policemen.”

    According to him, the decision became necessary because two units of heavily armed riot-policemen stormed the premises without official request.

    The Speaker accused members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Assembly of being behind the police deployment.

    He said the police acted on a letter “forged” by the three APC members using the name of the Assembly Clerk, Mr. Tola Esan and addressed to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bello Ahmed, calling for deployment.

    Oluwawole said: “This is strange in democracy, for lawmakers to wake up and see unauthorised police deployment in the legislative arm of government.

    “On Wednesday, at about 9:00 p.m., police authority deployed two detachments of heavily armed policemen to the premises of the Assembly. This came to us as a shock because we are in a recess and such action was unwarranted.

    “Before now, we had it on good authority that police were planning to provide cover for the three defecting lawmakers to perpetrate violence in the Assembly and cause confusion and also to endanger the lives of our staff.

    “We have not recovered from the harassment and abduction of our members by police during the July 14 election. But let me say expressly that such strange police deployment was unsolicited, unwarranted and ultra vires.”

     

  • Osinbajo, Ambode, Mimiko, others attend RCCG Holy Ghost Congress

    Osinbajo, Ambode, Mimiko, others attend RCCG Holy Ghost Congress

    The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo and his wife, Oludolapo; Governor of Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode and his wife, Bolanle; Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and his wife Olukemi; Speaker, Ekiti state house of assembly, Kola Oluwawole and Chief judge of South Africa, Mogoeng Mogoeng were on Friday present at the Redemption Camp on km46, Lagos Ibadan Expressway, for this year’s Holy Ghost Congress of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), with the theme; ‘Complete restoration’.

    The one week long congress which began on Monday, December 5, ended will end Saturday, December 10.

    It was a gathering of millions of worshippers from all over the world.

    In his sermon on Friday night, The General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, spoke on the topic, ‘Complete restoration’.

    The Cleric explained that complete restoration is a process.  He said every Christian is entitled to miracles,  noting that those who are not born again cannot get miracle, because miracles comes from God and God is holy.

    Reading from Ezekiel chapter 3, verse 7 to 10, Adeboye said; “Whenever God wants to begin the process of restoration, He remembers the forgotten and miracles are bound to follow. God also he visits the person and something miraculous happens

    “Anytime God want to do something there must be a noise; When God arrives, there must be a shaking; nakedness is covered; shame is ended; the  wind blows, and whenever the wind blows there will be miracles,” he said.

    The Cleric assured that the blessings of God makes rich and adds no sorrow. “When a miracle comes from God it is clean, with no string are attached and there will be divine protection. “When you are child of God your future is secured. Whatever is available to Jesus is available to you,” he said.

  • Contempt: Judge orders Ekiti Speaker to appear in court Dec 7

    Contempt: Judge orders Ekiti Speaker to appear in court Dec 7

    …Court receives letter from Ozekhome

     

    A Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has insisted that the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Kola Oluwawole, must appear before it on December 7 for his refusal to obey the order to swear in legislator-elect Toyin Obayemi.

    At the resumed sitting of the court on Tuesday, Justice Taiwo Taiwo ruled that the Speaker must comply with his order to inaugurate Obayemi as member representing Ado Ekiti Constituency 1 which was delivered on July 4.

    Obayemi is pressing a contempt charge against Oluwawole for disobeying the court order that he (Obayemi) be sworn in immediately as the legislator to replace Musa Arogundade who was removed by the Court and ordered to refund all salaries and allowances collected since June 5 when the Fifth Assembly was inaugurated.

    The court nullified Arogundade’s election and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue Obayemi a Certificate of Return holding that the latter was not validly nominated by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the April 11, 2015 House of Assembly election.

    The court also held that Arogundade was never qualified to stand as a candidate at the poll on grounds that he fraudulently obtained an Abuja Federal High Court order to validate his candidacy.

    The judge said that court record showed the Speaker has been served Form 49, a notice of why he (Oluwawole) should not be committed to prison for disobeying the order of the court.

    Obayemi’s counsel, Olayinka Sokoya, had earlier told the court that he received a letter from the law chambers of a Senior Advocate, Mike Ozekhome, dated November 18, a day after the last day of sitting.

    Sokoya explained that Ozekhome who is seeking to take over the defence of Oluwawole is praying the court for an adjournment of the case.

    But Justice Taiwo maintained that the proper thing must be done and the court order complied with by the Speaker who he said must consult with his lawyer on the implication of disobeying court order.

    He subsequently adjourned the case till December 7 for further hearing.

    After adjourning, Justice Taiwo said: “The Speaker must obey the order of this court, the proper things should be done. For the avoidance of doubt, the Speaker should consult with his counsel against the next adjourned date most especially as court record shows that he has been served.

    “I will never be intimidated by anybody, somebody was here before. Even if I die the Bench lives on.”

  • EKHA committe chair removed over meeting with Kashamu, Falana

    …fake audio scandal rocks Ekiti assembly

    Ekiti State House of Assembly has been hit by crisis following the removal of member representing Ikole Constituency 1, Gboyega Aribisogan, as Information Committee Chairman.

    Aribisogan’s sack as House Information Committee chair and his subsequent replacement with member representing Oye Constituency 1, Samuel Omotoso, is believed to be a prelude to his recall from the Assembly.

    The embattled lawmaker was accused of holding secret meetings with Senator Buruji Kashamu, Lagos lawyer Femi Falana and other personalities perceived to be enemies of Governor Ayo Fayose.

    Aribisogan appeared before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges chaired by member representing Ido/Osi Constituency 2, Samuel Jeje where a purported audio file capturing his (Aribisogan’s) voice was played.

    But Aribisogan described the audio tape which was played at the panel sitting to indict him as “a superimposed voice-over to tarnish his reputation.” According to him, his predicament was orchestrated by mischief makers in the Assembly.

    Speaking with reporters via a telephone chat on Wednesday shortly after appearing before the panel, Aribisogan disclosed that he was quizzed whether he met Kashamu and Falana before the controversial audio was played to him.

    While affirming his loyalty to Fayose and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Aribisogan said he has no confidence in the panel because he had already been found him guilty before its report is released.

    Aribisogan said: “The so-called audio was a superimposed voiceover to tarnish my reputation. At the panel’s sitting, there was a presentation of inaudible voiceover claiming that they recognized my voice and I discarded it as a cheap blackmail.

    “They asked me in the course of investigation whether I have met Buruji and I told them that the last time I met with Buruji was when I followed Mr. Governor and Hon. Omotoso was there too but it is unfortunate that he (Omotoso) wanted to make a political gain out of this saga.

    “Since then, I have not met Buruji as a person either secretly or openly. I have no confidence in the panel but because of the constitutional provision, I have to attend the panel to clear my name.

    “I appeared before the panel to tell them that I never met with Buruji and I never met with Falana as alleged. I am part and parcel of this government from inception and I remain a loyal part member.

    “Changing committee chairmen is a routine exercise but I suspect a foul play that the outcome of the panel is already predetermined.”

    When asked whether he has been invited by the governor on the crisis, Aribisogan said: “This is clearly an Assembly matter the governor has not invited me but I am expecting the members of the panel to go and investigate where the shenanigans are coming from.

    “The whole saga is an immolation to destroy me and put me in a political quagmire. Look at my pedigree where I am coming from before passing judgment on me.

    “Having served the government, is it possible for me to be holding meeting with Buruji and Falana and work against a government of which I am part?

    “I want to challenge the person who claimed to have recorded my voice to be bold enough to face me. The plot was executed by one man in the House to bring me down.”

    The House at its plenary on Tuesday set up the panel to probe Aribisogan over allegations of disloyalty with Speaker Kola Oluwawole likening him to the biblical Judas who betrayed Jesus Christ.

    Oluwawole said: “It touches the fundamental existence of this House. I still believe that this House is indivisible. We are ever united and strong. Every member of this house has the spirit of oneness in discharging his/her duties.

    “When I got this embarrassing news, I was highly disappointed.

    “I have absolute confidence in every member of this House. Despite the fact that Judas in the Bible betrayed Jesus, His ministry on earth was achieved.”