Ekiti Assembly Rejects Impeachment Panel: Summons CJ, Speaker Storms Oath Session
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By Olusola Olaosebikan The impeachment saga in Ekiti State took a new twist this morning when the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Aderemi stormed the venue where the 7-man impeachment panel was being sworn-in and handed a letter rejecting the composition to the state chief judge, Justice Kayode Bamisile.
The drama which took place at Court 1 of the Ekiti High Court, took everyone present by surprise but many supported the action of the speaker. The speaker, representing 23 other legislators who signed the impeachment notice against Governor Ayo Fayose and his deputy, Mrs. Abiodun Olujinmi, rejected the composition of members of the panel, insisting that they consisted of supporters of Fayose. After handing over the letter to Justice Bamisile, the speaker directed him to appear before the Assembly tomorrow and explain his reason for appointing only those the legislators considered as loyalists of Fayose.
The CJ was also asked to come along with the CVs of all the members of the panel while appearing tomorrow in the House. Mr. Aderemi argued in his letter to the CJ that Ekiti had eminent personalities whose integrity can be defended anywhere than the motley crowd of Fayose's contractors assembled. He therefore called for the suspension of the panel.
Despite receiving the letter, the CJ went ahead and swore in members of the panel.
The seven members of the panel are Remi Bamigboye (chairman), Ali Apanisile, Segun Adesuyi, Segun Da-Silva Ige, Olu Alade, Solomon Ajisafe and Funmilayo Olukogbo (Mrs). P.M.News gathered that
the only female member of the probe panel is a personal friend to Fayose's wife while another member, a retired permanent secretary hails from the same local government with the governor.
The Speaker, Mr. Aderemi also disclosed that two other members of the panel are contractors to the state government. Meanwhile, P.M.News gathered that
the panel has commenced sitting in a chamber in the court complex. The chairman, Mr. Remi Bamigboye, said the panel would not waste time in probing the allegations levelled against Fayose. He assured Ekiti stakeholders of the impartiality of his panel and said it will ensure that justice prevails.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti Agenda, a forum of all political parties in Ekiti State in collaboration with other stake holders yesterday held an emergency meeting to discuss burning issues affecting the state, particularly the on-going impeachment process of the governor and his deputy Chief (Mrs.) Abiodun Olujimi and its consequences on the state. At the end of the deliberations, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:
1. The Ekiti Agenda and other stake holders expressed great concern over the present situation in Ekiti State under the incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose particularly the damning report of the EFCC on the grand looting and pillage of the state
2. The Ekiti Agenda highly commended the EFCC under the leadership of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu for its thorough and painstaking investigation of the Fayose administration so far and noted that the EFCC report merely confirmed what the Ekiti people already knew.
3. The indictment of both Governor Fayose and his deputy, Mrs. Abiodun Olujimi by the EFCC, though highly commendable, has no doubt constituted an embarrassment as well as a moral burden not only on the indicted duo but on the totality of Ekiti people who are noted for honesty and high morals.
4. That having refused to resign honorably in the face of their indictment and the attendant moral burden, all the stakeholders in Ekiti State fully support the impeachment of both Governor Fayose and his deputy Mrs. Olujimi and are replaced by the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Aderemi as the Constitution prescribed in order to mitigate the shame that the duo had brought on all Ekiti people.
5. That in the interest of peace and political stability of dear state and the resolve of Ekiti people not to allow their state to be turned into a theatre of war, all the political parties under the platform of the Ekiti Agenda have resolved not to present any candidate for the mandatory governorship bye-election that must hold in January 2007 to allow the PDP complete its four year mandate in the state. It does not make any sense to any of the political parties to present candidates for two elections within three months.
6. That in this circumstance, Ekiti people have resolved to cooperate with Rt. Hon. Friday Aderemi, a member of PDP, who is highly regarded in the party as well as in the state to steer the ship of the State between now and April 2007, after which all political parties shall be free to contest elections.
7. That Ekiti people will certainly not accept an ugly situation whereby people heavily indicted with documentary evidences of fraud, violence and killings by relevant government agencies are being forced on our people. This is likely to portray Ekiti people as lacking courage and will to redeem a very bad situation foisted on them by Fayose and his deputy.
8. That the present struggle to cleanse the mess created by the incumbent government of Governor Fayose is not an anti-PDP affair but a genuine desire by all Ekiti people to redeem their already battered image so that henceforth anybody whose antecedent, pedigree cannot be ascertained no longer finds himself or herself at the helm of affairs in the state. God save Ekiti People!
The communique was signed by Chief Idowu Odeyemi (State Coordinator, Ekiti Agenda) for and on behalf of the following: 1. Chief George Akosile (Action Congress), 2. Chief Ade Akilaya (Action Congress) 3. Chief M. I. Adarai Fasae- NCP, 6.Deacon Olu Akomolafe - UNPP, 7. Mrs. Toyin Ajakaiye (E ? Eleven, a Forum of Ekiti Stakeholders), and 8. Prince Ade Alonge-Ekiti Agenda
http://www.thenewsng.com/modules/zma...rticleid=10895 Who's Who On The "Yes Men" Panel?
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The following are loyalists of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, who were named yesterday by the State Chief judge, Justice Kayode Bamisile, as members of the impeachment panel set up to investigate allegations of corruption against the governor and his deputy, Abiodun Olujimi:
1. Remi Bamgboye (Chairman of the panel): He is Governor Fayose's in-law from Eriyo-Ekiti.
2. Sesan Adesuyi is the first cousin to Governor Fayose. Adesuyi's sister is the Personal Assistant to the governor's wife.
3. Ali Apanisile: He is from Ife-Ekiti and works in the chambers of Duro Ajayi, who, until a few months ago, was the Ekiti State Attorney-General under the government of Fayose. Apanisile was called to the bar four years ago.
4. Funmilayo Olukogbo (Mrs.): She is Governor Fayose's wife's best friend.
5. Olu Alade: He was forcefully retired from the Ekiti State civil service by the former governor, Niyi Adebayo, over alleged age discrepancies. He was brought back into the civil service and appointed Permanent Secretary by Governor Fayose. He left the service a few months ago and his name has been pencilled down as commissioner to replace Lasimihan Olagunju who resigned from the state cabinet. The governor was said to have bought a new car for Alade five days ago.
6. Segun Da-Silva Ige is the governor?s friend from Igbemo-Ekiti.
7. Solomon Ajisafe is also the governor's associate from Oke-Ayedun in Ekiti State.
http://www.thenewsng.com/modules/zma...rticleid=10893
The Letter Sent To The CJ By The Speaker
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The Honorable Justice Kayode Bamisile
The Chief Judge, Ekiti State,
Chief Judge?s Office
High Court Complex,
Ado Ekiti.
My Lord,
NOTIFICATION OF REJECTION OF IMPEACHMENT PANEL
Following the announcement of the names of the seven persons appointed by your Lordship to investigate the grave allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Peter Ayodele Fayose and the Deputy Governor, Chief ( Mrs.) Abiodun Olujimi I have been inundated with calls from several persons who have questioned the integrity of the panel members.
On my own part I have investigated and confirmed that the panel members are either contractors of the Ekiti State government, relations and personal friends of Governor Ayodele Fayose. It will be recalled that there was a move last week by Governor Fayose to use the Ekiti State judiciary to peremptorily terminate the impeachment with the grant of an ex parte order. Although our counsel, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN ) rushed to the court when we got wind of the surreptitious move, your lordship conspired with some judicial staff to deny us access to the court processes so as to present the house with a fait accompli.
It has come to our notice that the court officials who later assisted the defense team in having access to the the court processes were immediately transferred to a remote part of the state pending their dismissal from service. Having not succeeded in manipulating the judicial process to frustrate the Ekiti State House of Assembly in discharging its constitutional responsibility in the circumstances you decided to constitute the impeachment panel contrary to the provision of section 188 (5) which stipulates that the panel shall be made up of persons of unquestionable integrity.
Consequently, after a critical deliberation on the development, the honorable members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly have unanimously resolved to reject the impeachment panel on the ground of likelihood of bias. Since your lordship has deliberately decided to violate Section 188 (5) of the 1999 Constitution by refusing to appoint persons of impeachable integrity into the impeachment panel the House of Assembly will soon invite your Lordship to the floor of the House to justify why you should not be removed as the Chief Judge of Ekiti State.
Thanks.
Yours Sincerely,
Rt. Hon. Friday Aderemi.
http://www.thenewsng.com/modules/zma...rticleid=10894
Na wa. Overtake don overtake overtake. The come has come to become.
DW, where you dey? You want
kunun zaki or
zobo? Me I dey coolee with my sharia compliant Gulder for corner. VOR, EMJ, una dey see wetin my eye dey see so?
E be like say this Speaker sef get conflict of interest inside the matter. As them dey say, he doth protest much much too much. No be the same Speaker wey EFCC say na thief too? He don defend himself so?
Aluta!
Gwobezentashi