Akeredolu Behind Ondo Assembly Crisis – Majority Leader, Araoyinbo
By Deji Adebayo, Abuja
The Majority Leader of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Olugbenga Araoyinbo has accused the State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu of interfering with legislative functions in the State Assembly over the Paris Club Fund recently released to the State.
Araoyinbo, while addressing journalists on Friday in Abuja blamed the Governor for inducing selected lawmakers to pass the reordered 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 pass 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 the interest of the state.
According to him, the reordered budget was passed by eight lawmakers who were less than two third of the entire Assembly, thus unconstitutional to the 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. There 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 out 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.
RT HON JUMOKE AKINDELE’S PURPORTED IMPEACHMENT MONTHS AGO WAS EXECUTED BY ONLY THIRTEEN MEMBERS OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY. ARAKUNRIN AKEREDOLU (SAN) CONSIDERED IT LEGAL AND ACCEPTABLE TO HIM.
FORMER DEPUTY SPEAKER IROJU OGUNDEJI WAS IMPEACHED BY EIGHTEEN MEMBERS WHILE THE IMPEACHED WAS PRESENT. ARAKUNRIN REFUSED TO ACCEPT AND FORCED A REVERSAL. NOW OLOYELOOGUN & IROJU OGUNDEJI WERE IMPEACHED BY EIGHTEEN MEMBERS RECENTLY, GOVERNOR AKETI HAS NOT FOUND IT EASY TO ACCEPT BUT DENIES HIS INVOLVEMENT AND INTERFERENCE IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
NURTW CONTINUE TO INVADE THE PREMISES OF THE HALLOWED CHAMBERS TO ENSURE HOLLOW DELIBERATIONS. AKETI HAS BY HIS SILENCE CONFIRMED HIS ENDORSEMENT OF THE INCESSANT PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSAULT ON THE MEMBERS AND UNDOUBTABLE VITIATION OF LAW, MORAL AND DEMOCRACY. ONE CLEAR THING IS THAT THE SAID REORDERED BUDGET BY A FEW MEMBERS HAS A LOT OF QUESTIONABLE ISSUES. THAT IS WHY THE END MUST ( TO THE GOVERNOR) JUSTIFY THE MEANS. FINANCIAL MATTERS AND ANYTHING RELATING TO PUBLIC FUND ACCOUNTABILITY SHALL EVEN MORALLY BE JUSTIFIABLY SUPPORTED IF NOT BY EACH MEMBER OF THE TWENTY SIX CONSTITUENCIES BUT NOT LESS THAN TWO THIRDS OF TWENTY-SIX MEMBERS . AS A TAX PAYER, YOU CAN SEE WHY YOU NEED TO ASK QUESTIONS. WHY MUST PUBLIC FUNDS BE SPENT OUT OF CURRENT APPROPRIATION LAW ?. THIS PARTICULAR REORDERING IS ABNORMAL AND THAT IS WHY THE LIVES OF MEMBERS AND FAMILIES MAY REMAIN UNPROTECTEDLY ENDANGERED BY THE NURTW ONDO STATE HIT SQUAD USED BY AKETI’ S ADMINITRATION. SOME MEMBERS ARE STILL ON HOSPITAL BEDS WHILE THE THUGS KEEP FLOODING THE ASSEMBLY PREMISES ON DAILY BASIS. IMAGINE IF THE PROPOSAL FOR STATE POLICE SAILS THROUGH. SOME GOVERNORS WOULD PASS BUDGETS USING IMPOSTORS WITH THE TERROR OF STATE POLICE. WHO ARE THE CUSTODIANS AND GUARDIANS OF THE LAWS OF THE LAND? WHERE IS THE VOICE OF THE MINISTER IN THE TEMPLE OF JUSTICE? WHY MUST THIRTEEN BE ABLE TO IMPEACH WHILE EIGHTEEN IS CONSIDERED INADEQUATE BY THOSE WHO CAN TOY & CHESS WITH OUR RULE OF LAW? DO YOU REMAIN QUIET? LET NOT THE MAN DIE IN YOU. SPEAK UP!