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Tag: Ondo Assembly

  • Senate probes siege to Ondo Assembly

    The Senate has put machinery in motion to investigate the police siege to the Ondo State House of Assembly.

    The decision followed a motion by Senator Abiodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South).

    She informed her colleagues at plenary yesterday that the invasion of the Assembly by police personnel and suspected thugs denied the lawmakers access to the legislative complex.

    The senator cited Orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Rules, saying the crisis in the Assembly had reportedly caused an injury to a woman lawmaker, who was allegedly beaten up by suspected thugs.

    Olujimi said: “Thugs invaded the Assembly and beat up a legislator, a woman was beaten.”

    She urged the Senate to intervene to enable the lawmakers carry out their constitutional duties.

    In reference to the woman legislator who was allegedly beaten up, the senator noted that “an injury to one, is an injury to all”.

    Olujimi pleaded with the Senate to treat the matter with urgency.

    Read also: Police chief to Dickson: I’m here to fight crimes

    Other senators who aligned with Olujimi’s position are: Enyinnaya Abaribe, Ajayi Boroffice, Gbenga Ashafa, Atai Aidoko and the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, among others.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki bemoaned the invasion of the Ondo Assembly, saying legislators had become targets of attacks by the police and sponsored thugs.

    The Senate President cited similar cases in Benue, Kogi and Akwa Ibom in recent times.

    He said: “Our democracy is defined by our legislative arm. We must stand very strongly on this. By our resolution, the police should allow the members to sit.”

    The matter was referred to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs for investigation.

    The committee is expected to report back to the Senate next week.

  •   Senate probes siege to Ondo Assembly

    The Senate has put machinery in motion to investigate the ongoing police siege to the Ondo State House of Assembly.

    The decision by the Upper Legislative body followed a motion by Senator Abiodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South).

    She informed her colleagues at plenary the siege to the Assembly by police personnel and thugs has denied the lawmakers access to the legislative complex.

    She cited Orders 42 and 52 of the Senate rules, stating the crisis in the Ondo House has reportedly caused an injury to a female lawmaker, who was allegedly beaten up by thugs.

    Olujimi said: “Thugs invaded the House and beat up a legislator, a woman was beaten,” urging the Senate to intervene to allow the lawmakers carry out their duties.

    Other lawmakers that aligned with Olujimi’s position were Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe, Ajayi Boniface, Gbenga Ashafa, Atai Aidoko and Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu among others.

    In his ruling, Senate President Bukola Saraki bemoaned the invasion of the Ondo Assembly, noting that legislators have become targets of attacks by the police and sponsored thugs.

    Saraki cited similar siege in Benue, Kogi and Akwa Ibom in recent times.

    Saraki said: “Our democracy is defined by our legislative arm, we must stand very strongly on this. By our resolution, the police should allow the members to sit”.

    The matter was referred to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs for investigation. The committee is expected to report back to the Senate next week.

  • Ondo Assembly gets panels on pending bills

    The Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday set up two committees to examine some pending bills before it to ensure their speedy passage into laws.

    This occurred in the absence of 16 lawmakers who fled the state for safety after the purported impeachment of Speaker Bamidele Oleyelogun and his deputy, Iroju Ogundeji.

    The fleeing lawmakers, led by Olamide George, had met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi on the crisis in the Ondo Assembly.

    They expressed their readiness to return to the hallowed chamber to resume their oversight functions.

    But none of them appeared at the Assembly yesterday.

    The bills presented by the nine “home-based” lawmakers include A Bill for the Administration and Collection of Revenue for Government of Ondo State and Local Government.

    Other bills are to provide for the Establishment, Composition, Powers and Functions of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital and A Bill for A Law to Amend UNIMED Law to integrate Ondo State School of Nursing and Midwifery.

    The Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Sunday Olajide, was named chairman of the panel of the bill to make provision for the administration and collection of revenue for government of Ondo State and Local Government.

    Other members of the committee are: Oluyede Feyide Olusola, Prince Abayomi Akinruntan,  Kuti Towase, Kemisola Adesanya and Jamiu Maito.

    Also, Dr Kaseem Suleiman was named Chairman of the remaining two bills on UNIMED.

     

     

     

  • Ondo Assembly warns Akeredolu against interference over Paris Club Fund, 2018 budget

    The Ondo State Assembly has accused Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of interfering with the legislative functions of the State Assembly over Paris Club Fund recently released to the State.

    Majority Leader of the State Assembly, Araoyinbo Olugbenga, while addressing the media at the weekend in Abuja blamed the Governor for inducing selected lawmakers to reorder the 2018 budget solely because of the fund.

    The lawmaker queried why the State Governor had to use the minority members of the State Assembly including two suspended and allegedly impeached Speaker of the Assembly to hurriedly recall and further passed the state 2018 appropriation.

    Olugbenga, who spoke alongside the Chairman, House Committee on Information,  Rt. Hon. Olotu Fatai described the act as illegal and such that could jeopardise interest of the state.

    According to him, the recalled budget was passed by eight lawmakers who were less than two third of the entire Assembly, thus unconstitutional to laws of the state.

    His Words: “Ondo State people are not incapacitated not to ask deep questions about the Paris club fund after thought explanation. The fact that six members and two suspended and impeached ones presided over the financial matters call for questions.

    “Minority members cannot reorder the budget so speedily even as government urged and induced them financially to do so. They were spending incurred outside the existing 2018 appropriation law. We asked to be allowed to vet the budget performance for proper accountability in line with rules of the house but the government became jittery.”

    He alleged further that, “the impeached and suspended leadership have been too compromising against the interest of the masses. All the invasions done to ensure the forceful passage of the governor’s reordering is in direct connection with the NURTW illegal activities within the hallowed chamber”.

    However, the lawmakers called for the intervention of appropriate authorities and urged the state governor to obey the principles of separation of power in government.

  • Ondo Assembly dissolves committees

    •New principal officers appointed

    Despite the crisis in the Ondo State House of Assembly, nine of its 26 members loyal to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu yesterday dissolved the standing committees.

    At the session, presided over by embattled Speaker David Oleyelogun, the Assembly also appointed three new principal officers.

    They are: Suleiman Maito (Majority Leader), Abayomi Akinruntan (Deputy Majority Leader) and Kazeem Suleiman (Parliamentary Secretary).

    Besides, the Assembly reaffirmed the suspension of 15 members who purportedly impeached Oleyelogun and his deputy, Ogundeji Iroju.

    Fifteen members of the Assembly, last Friday, sacked Oloyelogun and Iroju for alleged gross misconduct and maladministration.

    Iroju said the Assembly did not commit any offence by suspending the lawmakers, adding that the nine lawmakers who sat formed the lawful two-thirds majority.

    According to him, the Assembly has remained peaceful since the suspension of the aggrieved members.

    He warned the suspended lawmakers against acts that could trigger a crisis in the Assembly and the state.

    Also, the Assembly yesterday passed the 2018 Appropriation Amendment Act into law.

    Oleyelogun said the amendment became imperative to allow the government execute some projects and implement new policies that are beneficial to the residents.

    The Speaker said the Assembly took the decision after considering the recommendations of the Committee on Finance and Appropriation.

    He added that the Assembly resolved that approval be given to the pooling of N10 billion from capital expenditure component of this year’s budget and the reallocation of the funds without any alteration to the budget size.

    Oleyelogun said the Assembly approved the pooling of N4.2 billion from recurrent expenditure component of the budget and the re-allocation of the funds without any alteration to the budget.

  • Boroffice condemns invasion of Ondo Assembly

    The senator representing Ondo North, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice, has condemned the violent invasion of the Ondo State House of Assembly by members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) last Friday.

    The union members attacked lawmakers, workers and reporters on the Assembly complex.

    The senator described the invasion as an ugly political decadence that should be condemned.

    A statement by his Press Secretary, Kayode Fakuyi, said: “In Ondo State, there is an evolving trend of violent interference and fierce intervention of NURTW members in political affairs and state matters. Thus, security agencies need to swiftly check and curb the trend.

    “Aftermath of the invasion, an atmosphere of fear and insecurity has been ignited. It is, therefore, incumbent on security agencies to immediately restore an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity for legislative activities to thrive and flourish.”

    Boroffice urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure tight security to protect the lives of members of the House of Assembly.

  • We’re not involved in Ondo Assembly invasion, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has described as untrue and wicked blackmail the allegation that its State Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, led thugs to invade the State House of Assembly on Friday.

    The State Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaye, said the chairman was only at the assembly to pacify the lawmakers, but he was assaulted and told that it was not a party affair.

    According to him, the chairman got the information that the lawmakers were planning the impeachment of the Speaker and his deputy. Speaking further, Kalejaiye said “The Chairman’s intention was to explore ways to pacify aggrieved members and ensure the situation did not degenerate to an ugly scene. Unfortunately, he was rebuffed by some members, who actually assaulted him, saying it was purely a party affair.

    “It therefore amounts to a deliberate blackmail for any person or group to insinuate or say that a well-cultured democrat like Mr. Adetimehin would lead thugs to attack the honourable members of the House.” The party urged security agencies to carry out a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure punishment or sanction those found culpable.

  • Ondo Assembly gets new deputy speaker

    Hon. Abimbola Fojolu has emerged as new Deputy Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly.

    Fajolu, representing Ileoluji/Okeigbo state constituency replaced Mr Iroju Ogundeji who was removed on Tuesday during plenary following receipt of signatures of 18 members of the House by the Speaker, Mr Bamidele Oleyelogun.

    The new deputy speaker was immediately sworn in by the Clerk of the House, Mr Bode Adeyelu.

    The House also used the opportunity to pass vote of confidence on the Speaker, Oleyelogun.

    Read Also: We are in financial predicament – Ondo Assembly

    The removed deputy speaker, however, staged a walkout of the plenary.

    Ogundeji was removed based on what the lawmakers described as “disloyalty to the 8th Assembly of hope which contradicts laid down rules.”

  • Ondo Assembly laments financial constraints

    The Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday urged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to bail it out of financial mess.

    It lamented the harsh situation of the hallowed chambers.

    The lawmakers, at plenary, observed that the situation have got to a stage where they used papers to fan themselves due to enormous heat occasioned by lack of stable electricity and funds to power generators.

    They said they were financially handicapped, stressing that they could not spend without consent of the executives.

    The legislators noted that financial autonomy of the Assembly will alleviate their financial predicament.

    Deputy Speaker Iroju Ogundeji, raising a matter of urgent importance, appealed to  Akeredolu to release fund to the parliament, to embark on constituency projects, which they had never been deprived of in the last three years.

    Minority leader Sola Ebiwonjumi debunked reports that the government procured utility vehicles and gave them constituency funds.

    The Speaker, Bamidele Oloyelogun, said the little contributions of lawmakers to their constituencies were from personal efforts through loans.

    He urged the governor to attend to their needs in the interest of true democratic values.

    Ogundeji, in a chat with The Nation, lamented that since the last three years, the government had refused to release funds to them to execute projects in their constituencies.

    He said: “It has got to a stage our people at home are embarrassing us for having nothing to show for our representation in the past three years.

    “Former Governor Olusegun Mimiko refused to release the fund in two years we spent with him, Now we have spent one year with the Akeredolu administration, it is the same problem and we are having only one year left with nothing to show in our constituencies.

    Calls made to the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor and former Speaker, Oluwasegunota Bolarinwa, were not responded to last night.

  • Ondo Assembly sacks council chiefs

    Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday dissolved caretaker committees in the 18 councils.

    This followed the expiration of their tenure.

    The House, at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, David Oloyelogun, asked the committees to hand over to the directors of local government administration.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in April 2017 appointed caretaker committees.

    The Assembly extended the tenure last October.

    The House, at plenary, acknowledged the contributions of the committees to the development of the state.

    It was not certain last night whether or not the governor would renew their appointments.

    The Nation, however, gathered that the governor may appoint caretaker committees soon.

    Governor Akeredolu, last week, suspended the Caretaker Chairman of Ondo West Local Government, Ebenezer Akinsulire, for alleged misconduct.

    Petitions were written against him by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the council.