Oyo State House of Assembly yesterday nullified the purported suspension of Chairman of Irepo Local Government Area, Asifu Adediran-Sulaiman and his vice, Mrs. Ojedele Victoria over alleged misconduct.
The nullification followed a letter written by councilors of Irepo Local Government Area to the state lawmakers, seeking their approval of the duo’s suspension. Describing the suspension as inconclusive, the House also noted that pending the time its Committee on Local Government Affairs investigates and submits its report; Adediran-Sulaiman and Ojedele remain the recognized leaders of the council and should be allowed to perform their duties.
The council chiefs were suspended last week by the lawmakers, who accused them of gross misconduct, high-handedness and lack of respect for party supremacy. Their suspension was conveyed in an April 25, 2019 letter signed by seven of the 10 lawmakers and detailing the allegations against the chairman for which he was allegedly found guilty.
But addressing journalists after yesterday’s plenary, Speaker, Olagunju Ojo urged the people to remain calm, noting that the committee has been mandated to handle the issue in line with the Assembly’s Law 2001, which the councilors refused to comply with. Supporting Ojo, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Joshua Oyebamiji, said the Assembly Law of 2001 on removal or suspension of elected officials, especially chairmen and their vice emphasized certain roles for councilors, Chief Judge and House of Assembly, which were not followed as stipulated.
Meanwhile, governor-elect, Seyi Makinde has written outgoing Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, advising him to stop making policies that would hinder smooth takeoff of his administration on May 29 this year. Makinde specifically cautioned against policies and indiscriminate award of last minute contracts that may not be completed before the expiration of Ajimobi’s tenure, wondering why the State Pilgrimage Board was taking some far-reaching decisions that would be difficult for his administration to implement.
He alleged that some government appointees under ‘the guise of spurious legitimacy’ have been rushing to award contracts backed by questionable mobilization fees running into billions of naira. But in a swift reaction, the governor’s spokesperson, Bolaji Tunji said Ajimobi’s government would remain active till May 28 and could not be made docile by “the comments of a man with little understanding of governance.”