Nine anti-impeachment lawmakers barred from Akeredolu’s inauguration

By BOLU-OLU ESHO

Nine members of Ondo State House of Assembly who frustrated the attempted impeachment of the outgone Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi were barred from attending the swearing-in ceremony of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Wednesday.

Sources disclosed to Daily Independent that out of the 26 members of the state Assembly, only 17 were invited to the inauguration ceremony.

The event, which is strictly by invitation to avoid the spread of COVID-19, took place at the DOME, Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital.

The newly sworn in Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had on Saturday disclosed that only 500 persons would be allowed into the venue of the event in adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

It would be recalled that nine out of the 26 members of the House of Assembly didn’t participate in the impeachment plot against the erstwhile deputy governor thereby making it impossible for the impeachment plotters to meet the two-third of members of the House requirement of the constitution to effect the impeachment.

Those who were invited and served Pass Tag among the lawmakers were loyalists of Governor Akeredolu.

Governor Akeredolu’s loyalists in the House had applied different strategies to deal with the dissident lawmakers including non payment of their allowances, suspension of some of the from the House and impeachment and replacement of the deputy speaker, Iroju Ogundeji.

The nine lawmakers who aborted the impeachment attempt are Rasheed Elegbeleye, Suleiman Jamiu Maito, Adewale Williams-Adewinle, Festus Akingbaso, Ogundeji Iroju, Favour Tomomowo and Tomide Akinribido. Others are Success Tuhurkerijor, Samuel Edamisan. (Daily Independent)