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Tag: Ondo Assembly

  • Ondo Assembly intervenes in education summit ripple

    Ondo Assembly intervenes in education summit ripple

    Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday intervened in the controversy on the state’s just-concluded Education Summit.

    At its plenary, a former Majority Leader, Ifedayo Akinsoyinu, called the attention of members to a communiqué issued at the end of the summit, which he said had gone viral in the social media.

    The state government was said to be planning to withdraw its funding of education.

    But the government denied allegation through its Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Yemi Olowolabi.

    Akinsoyinu noted that such policy would further impoverish the people and make education inaccessible to the masses.

    Also, the lawmaker representing Ondo West Constituency II, Ade Adeniyi, said such decision, if implemented, would contravene the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) agenda, which makes access to education by all compulsory.

    On the communique, the Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Olusegun Ajimotokin, noted that it was just a report of what transpired at the education summit and not a government policy.

    He advised government to carry the lawmakers along before implementing any part of the communique.

    Other lawmakers, including Kazeem Sulaimon and Jamiu Maito, also spoke in the same vein.

    The Assembly’s resolve was read by Speaker Bamidele Oleyelogun, that the communique was only a report on what transpired at the summit and not a government policy.

    It urged the Commissioner for Education, Femi Agagu, to submit 40 copies of the communique and the government’s position to the Assembly.

    The Assembly said the state government should not implement any part of the communique until it is fully debated by the legislators, who he said are the elected representatives of the people.

     

  • Ondo Assembly confirms 18 commissioner-nominees

    Ondo Assembly confirms 18 commissioner-nominees

    THE Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday confirmed the 18 commissioner-nominees to man the ministries.

    The screening was held after its plenary, presided over by Speaker Bamidele Oleyelogun.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), on July 31, transmitted a list of the commissioner-nominees, identified as technocrats, professionals and politicians, to the Assembly for confirmation.

    The list cuts across the state’s 18 local government areas, including: Taofiq Abdulsalam (Akoko North East), Rasheed Badmus (Akoko North West), Prince Solagbade Amodeni (Akoko South East), Otunba Adefarati Gboyega (Akoko South West), Saka Yusuf Ogunleye (Akure North), Mrs. Omowumi Olatunji-Edet (Akure South), Ojogo Donald (Ese-Odo), Yemi Olowolabi (Idanre) and Dr. Wahab Adegbenro (Ifedore).

    Others are: Funso Esan (Ilaje), Wale Akinterinwa (Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo), Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan (Irele), Femi Agagu (Okitipupa), Prof Bayonle Ademodi (Ondo East), Mrs Omolola Fagbemi (Ondo West), Timehin Adelegbe (Ose) and Kola Olawoye (Owo).

    The Assembly began the screening penultimate Monday and concluded it last Thursday.

    During the screening, two of the nominees – Abdulsalam Taofiki, a former Speaker of the House of Assembly and Mrs Olawumi Olatunji-Edet, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly – were asked to take a bow, in accordance with the rule of the House.

    House Majority Leader Olumide Araoyinbo moved the motion for their confirmation.

    It was learnt that the swearing-in of the commissioners may come up tomorrow.

     

     

  • Ondo Assembly passes N170.8b budget

    Ondo Assembly passes N170.8b budget

    The Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday passed this year’s N170.8 billion Appropriation Bill.

    House Finance and Appropriation Committee Chairman  Sunday Olajide presented the report of his panel at plenary.

    Olajide said the bill had been scrutinised by members, adding that public sittings were held for ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) on their allocations in the budget.

    The lawmaker said the Assembly refrained from granting indiscriminate requests by MDAs because of paucity of funds.

    He added that the committee only redistributed funds to some critical areas with a marginal increase of N1.12 billion.

    Olajide said: “The overall budgetary provision will now be N170,846,580,000.”

    The chairman highlighted the observation of his committee that this year’s expenditure was carefully projected and set at sustainable level with due consideration for the current economic realities.

    He said the committee recommended that MDAs should ensure that the provisions in the budget were applied to stipulated needs, while the Board of Internal Revenue should block leakages.

    The state government, Olajide added, should take steps to propel income-generating MDAs to embark on internally generated revenue (IGR) drive in line with extant laws to achieve their revenue target.

    Speaker David Oleyelogun thanked members of the committee for doing a good job.

    He also hailed other members of the Assembly for their cooperation and diligence while working on the appropriation bill.

    NAN reports that the budget increased by N1.12 billion when compared to the N169,720,580 billion earlier presented by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on June 5.

    The budget put the recurrent expenditure at N95.15 billion, capital expenditure at N59.18 billion, debt service at N8.12 billion and statutory transfer at N8.37 billion.

    NAN also reports that the Assembly unanimously approved the budget after members deliberated on the report of the committee.

     

     

  • Akeredolu sends N169.720b budget proposal to Ondo Assembly

    Akeredolu sends N169.720b budget proposal to Ondo Assembly

    Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) yesterday forwarded this year’s budget proposal to the House of Assembly for approval.

    The Assembly is expected to deliberate on the proposal, which is the first from the Akeredolu administration.

    It was learnt that after deliberations, the Assembly will invite the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to defend their budgets before the lawmaker pass it into law.

    Details of the budget were sketchy last night, but it was gathered that the budget’s total is N169,720,580,000.

    The development was a new dimension to budget presentation in the state.

    Successive administrations, through their governors, usually presented the budgets personally to the Assembly for onward passage after deliberations on the floor of the House.

     

     

  • Ondo Assembly recalls ex-officers

    Ondo Assembly recalls ex-officers

    Three former principal officers of the Ondo State House of Assembly, suspended about two months ago, were recalled yesterday.
    Former Speaker Ms Jumoke Akindele; her deputy, Fatai Olotu and Majority Leader Ifedayo Akinsoyinu were on January 27 suspended for alleged N15million fraud.
    After their suspension, Malachi Coker ( Ilaje 1) was appointed acting Speaker, Ayodele Arowele (Owo 1) deputy speaker and Olamide George (Akure North) majority leader.
    At plenary yesterday, the motion to lift the suspension was moved by Olugbenga Araoyinbo, who is Majority leader.
    The Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun, consequently lifted the ban on the trio.
    Oleyelogun, his deputy, Iroju Ogundeji, Ayodeji Arowele, Philip Ajimotokin and Oluyede Oluwole officially announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
    Oleyelogun said PDP has been factionalised from the national to the local government level. He described APC as “the government of the day which would move the state forward”.

  • Acting Speaker for Ondo Assembly

    Acting Speaker for Ondo Assembly

    Malachi Coker has been appointed Acting Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, following the resignation of Ms Jumoke Akindele yesterday in Akure.
    Akindele’s resignation followed the reconciliation between the two factions in the House.
    The letter was officially received yesterday by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu through his Chief of Staff (CoS),Gbenga Ale.
    The crisis-ridden Assembly re-opened yesterday with 12 of the 13 factional members led by Coker in attendance.
    They “officially” ratified Ms Akindele’s impeachment.
    Thirteen lawmakers loyal to Akindele boycotted the sitting.
    Arowele Samuel (Owo l) is deputy speaker; Olamide George (Akure North) is majority leader and Mukaila Musa minority leader.
    The officers are to be in office pending when election is held for the positions.
    Akindele resigned after she was accused of withdrawing N15 million from the Assembly’s account without the knowledge of the principal officers.

  • Lagos lawmakers: reopen Ondo Assembly

    Lagos lawmakers: reopen Ondo Assembly

    Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly at plenary yesterday condemned the closure of the Ondo State House of Assembly by the police.
    The members passed a resolution condemning the closure and infringement on the legislature and called on the Acting President, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives as Governor Olusegun Mimiko to call the police to order and order the Inspector General of police to re-open the Assembly immediately.
    The issue was raised by Bisi Yusuf (Alimosho 1) under matters of urgent public importance.
    Segun Olulade said the closure was as good as planning a coup against the people .
    Speaker Mudashiru Obasa decried the continuous assault on the parliament in the country.
    “Police must obey the constitution. Yes, police must maintain law and order but not by closing the legislature, there must be separation of powers,” Obasa said.

  • IG orders closure of Ondo Assembly

    IG orders closure of Ondo Assembly

    Akindele’s suit adjourned till Mar 6

    Justice Aderemi Adegoroye of the Ondo State High Court, Akure has adjourned till March 6 the suit of the suspended Speaker, Ms Jumoke Akindele.
    This followed the claimants’ inability to serve the defendants.
    Akindele and two others are challenging their impeachment.
    Defence counsel Charles Titiloye told the court his clients have not been served.
    He added that it would be in the interest of justice to hear from them first.
    Akindele’s counsel Olumide Ogidan opted for out-of-court settlement.
    Titiloye said political issues are better resolved out of court.
    He noted that the crisis in the Assembly would not benefit the state.
    The court adjourned till March 6 for out-of-court settlement.

    Acting Ondo State House of Assembly Speaker Malachi Coker yesterday said the police have sealed the Assembly.
    Coker told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure, the state capital, that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, ordered indefinite closure of the Assembly.
    The Assembly, on January 27, impeached the Speaker, Ms Jumoke Akindele, and other principal officers over allegation of N15 million fraud.
    The money was allegedly found on the Assembly’s Pay Master, Makanjuola Adesina, who told the lawmakers that it was withdrawn on Akindele’s instruction for a project, which he failed to disclose.
    Coker said the Assembly adjourned sitting indefinitely, following the police action.
    “For now, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has directed that the Assembly should be locked.
    “Last Friday, the police brought a warrant that the Assembly should be locked indefinitely and that was after the House adjourned its sitting at a plenary held on Thursday.
    “We hope the police will not be bias in their actions by allowing the Akindele faction to have access into the Assembly,’’ he said.
    On the impeachment of the Speaker and other principal officers, Coker said 20 of the 26 members of the Assembly signed the impeachment notice.
    “For clarification, it takes 18 members to sign the impeachment notice.
    “Ten members can sit in the Assembly to pronounce it and this time around 20 members signed the impeachment notice.
    “About seven members backed out after they signed, following pressure from external forces.
    “We planned the impeachment together, but as human beings, some claimed they were not in the Assembly when the impeachment was carried out,’’ the acting speaker said.
    He appealed to his colleagues to unite and work for the state’s interest.

  • Police seal Ondo House of Assembly over crisis

    Police seal Ondo House of Assembly over crisis

    •APC to EFCC: Probe Assembly

    The police yesterday sealed the Ondo State House of Assembly to prevent a fracas between Malachi Coker and Jumoke Akindele factions, laying claim to the speakership.
    The Coker faction removed Ms. Akindele and other principal officers last Friday for alleged N15million fraud.
    She insisted she remains speaker because her removal does not meet the constitutional requirement.
    The N15million was allegedly found in the possession of the Assembly’s paymaster, Makanjuola Adesina, who told lawmakers that it was withdrawn on Ms Akindele’s instruction for a project which he failed to disclose.
    It was gathered that lawmakers loyal to Coker entered the Assembly about 7am.
    Coker sat on the speaker’s seat to begin proceedings but the Akindele faction stormed the Assembly and the embattled speaker challenged Coker.
    He was said to have told her that she is no longer speaker.
    This led to an altercation between the factions.
    A team of policemen led by the Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Hilda Ibifuro-Harrison, who were in the Assembly to prevent breakdown of law, ordered the lawmakers and workers to leave the Assembly immediately.
    She told them that the Assembly would be opened when they are ready to allow peace reign.
    The lawmakers left in groups. Akindele’s camp went to the home of her deputy, Fatai Olotu, where they addressed reporters.
    Coker’s team addressed reporters at a hotel in Akure, the state capital.
    Ogundeji Iroju and Acting Majority Leader George Olumide insisted that the removal stands.
    Iroju said: “We got information that the minority group led by the erstwhile speaker wanted to sit.
    “We went there and took the mace, which is in our possesion. They cannot seat without the mace because it is a symbol of authority.
    “We told them they cannot seat because we have removed them. Akindele, Olotu and former Majority Leader Ifedayo Akinsoyinu have been suspended.”
    Iroju clarified that 20 lawmakers signed the impeachment notice but only 14 sat to remove the Speaker.
    He alleged that the remaining six went back to Akindele’s faction.
    He listed their names as Abayomi Akinruntan; Siji Akindiose; Tuyi Akintimehin; Ade Adeniyi, Fajulu Abimbola and Towase Kuti.
    Iroju called on forensic experts to authenticate the genuineness of the signatures.
    He warned banks to stop any business with the Akindele faction and urged the police commissioner to withdraw all her security details.
    Olumide said: “We got information that N11million was paid into our accounts for our cars and we also heard that N12.5million was given to us for constituency projects. They are lies. We have not receive any money from the government for any project since inception.
    “They said the paymaster was dehumanised and molested, it is a lie. He was caught with the money and he confessed that he was sent by the erstwhile speaker.
    “Was there any plenary resolution before the approval of the N15million and the former spokesman of the house who said the money was approved for a project and we now asked
    Akindiose, who addressed reporters on behalf of Akindele’s camp, accused some fifth columnists of fueling the crisis.
    He insisted the other faction did not have the required number to carry out the impeachment.
    He claimed that 14 of them are still with the embattled speaker but called for reconciliation among members.
    He insisted that the N15million was meant for a project but because he is not a member of the committee, he did not know the type of project the money was meant for.
    Akindiose noted that the lawmaker, who instigated the crisis was only angry because he was not a member of the committee.
    According to him, “Impeachment is a long process. You must give the other side a fair hearing.
    “We are not comfortable with the closure of the Assembly. Some people are hell bent on stopping the seamless transition going on in the state.”
    Akindiose said the crisis will soon be resolved, insisting that it was just a family affair.
    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest Akindele, Olotu and former Majority Leader Ifedayo Akinsoyinu for alleged fraud.
    In a statement by its spokesman, AbayomiAdesanya, said: “This Assembly is a rubber stamp House. Lawmakers endorse matter brought before them without due process.
    “The former speaker is a stooge of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, thereby converting the Assembly to a subsidiary of the Governor’s Office.
    “It is noteworthy that these lawmakers can summon courage to change their leadership, which had remained untouchable all along. This is commendable.
    “We appeal to the new leadership to prevent last minutes looting of the state’s treasury and properties through awards of phony contracts with massive payment of mobilisation feeswithout budgetary allocation.
    “We urge them to begin an impeachment process against the governor, going by his various atrocities against the people in the last eight years,” he said.

  • Police shut Ondo Assembly

    The crisis rocking the Ondo State House of Assembly continues on Monday morning as police shut the Assembly premises.

    This was to prevent a fracas which would have occurred at the Assembly between factions loyal to Hon. Malachi Coker and Hon. Jumoke Akindele who are laying claim to the speakership seat.

    Coker’s faction impeached Akindele last Friday evening but the woman insisted that she remain the speaker because her removal did not meet the constitutional requirement.

    The Nation learnt gathered that the legislators in Coker’s camp gained entrance to the Assembly premises as early as 6:00 a.m.‎ on Monday

    Coker immediately sat on the speaker’s seat in readiness for the day’s plenary.

    The Akindele’s faction later stormed the Assembly and the embattled speaker personally challenged Coker that he has no right to sit on the speaker’s seat.

    But Coker told her she is no longer the Assembly speaker because she had been impeached.

    This caused altercation between the two factions.

    Police operatives led by the state Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Hilda Ibifuro-Harrison, who were already at the Assembly premises to prevent break down of law and order, stormed the House chamber and ordered the lawmakers including the workers to leave the place immediately.