Poll shift parley: Confusion as two speakers represent Ogun

Niyi Odebode, Francis Falola and Abimbola Adelakun


There was confusion on Tuesday night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja during a meeting on the postponement of January 2011 elections as Ogun State House Assembly was represented by two speakers.

[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2010/sep/30/punch/images/pix200907010524823[1].jpg[/img]
TUNJI EGBETOKUN


http://odili.net/news/source/2010/sep/30/830.html

The meeting, which began around 9pm was attended by President Goodluck Jonathan; leaders of the National Assembly, governors and speakers of state houses of assembly.

Investigations by one of our correspondents on Wednesday showed that Ogun State House of Assembly was represented by two speakers, Mr. Tunji Egbetokun and Mr. Soyemi Coker.

It was learnt that the meeting, which began around 9pm was not preceded by any accreditation.

It was, however, gathered that speakers from other state Houses of Assembly insisted that Egbetokun should occupy the seat reserved for the Speaker of Ogun Assembly.

Egbetokun, had in an interview with one of correspondents, said the crisis in the state Assembly could not stop him from attending the meeting.

"Everybody knows that I am the authentic speaker, so I was duly invited for the meeting," Egbetokun added.

He stated that he was invited to the meeting through a text message, which he said was the normal channel of invitation for such meetings in the past.

But our correspondents gathered that Coker, who arrived at the venue of the meeting in company with Governor, Gbenga Daniel also stayed till the end of the parley.

"Many people at the meeting were confused that Ogun was represented by two speakers. They had expected that one of them would be sent out," said a speaker from the North-Central, who pleaded anonymity.

Investigations showed that it was Egbetokun that sat on the seat reserved for the speaker of Ogun Assembly.

The spokesman of the Egbetokun faction, Dr. Tokunbo Oshin, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said, "As far as the Presidency and the National Assembly are concerned, Egbetokun is the speaker. He attended the meeting and was given the right recognition."

But a member of the rival faction, Mr. Fasiu Bakene, said, "The speaker (Coker) informed us that he would be attending the meeting. I am aware that he attended the meeting. Since he was not sent out, that meant that he was properly recognised and accredited as the speaker of Assembly."

The Assembly was on September 6 rocked by a crisis as Egbetokun was impeached by nine members, who also suspended 14 of their colleagues.

The nine members appointed Coker as the new speaker and annulled the suspension of Mrs. Titi Oseni and Mr. Omosanya Solaja, who had previously been suspended by the Egbetokun- led House.

The 15 members had however at a plenary session in Ijebu-Ode annulled the impeachment of Egbetokun and the suspension of the 14 members.

But a state High Court in Abeokuta had in its recent judgment affirmed Egbetokun as the authentic speaker of the Assembly.

Meanwhile, the Local Government Chairman of Ikenne Local Government in Ogun State, Mr. Tiwalade Sobo, has described the removal of Egbetokun as an act of divine intervention. Sobo said this on Wednesday during a press conference in Lagos.

na wah! what a show of shame.

Even if there are seven speakers, must you be a speaker to bring good leadership and development to your constituents?

wonderful !!!

GOODLUCK JONATHAN IS THE FOOLISH PRESIDENT NIGERIA EVER HAD. IMAGINE AN ORDINARY FAKE SPEAKER OF A  STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY HAS AUDACITY TO COME BEFORE THE PRESIDENT,

must you display your stupidity all the time? what has ogun politics got to do with goodluck?

Fuji House of Commotion!

roflmao!!

vicknesh:

GOODLUCK JONATHAN IS THE FOOLISH PRESIDENT NIGERIA EVER HAD. IMAGINE AN ORDINARY FAKE SPEAKER OF A  STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY HAS AUDACITY TO COME BEFORE THE PRESIDENT, 

Democracy or "democrazy" Which one are we practicing in Nigeria?. God bless Nigeria.

Bunch of retarded, uncivilized, self-centred animals in human skin.

Kobojunkie:

roflmao!!

What does it mean?

vicknesh:

GOODLUCK JONATHAN IS THE FOOLISH PRESIDENT NIGERIA EVER HAD. IMAGINE AN ORDINARY FAKE SPEAKER OF A STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY HAS AUDACITY TO COME BEFORE THE PRESIDENT,

What would you say concerning the Governor then? Although i blame Jonathan for keeping mute in the crisis rocking Ogun state.

The presidency could not take the bold step of recognizing the speaker and sending the other out. IT may never be able to take bold steps in more demanding issues.

I have no hope in Jonathan.


This reminds me of Adedibu's wife. She attended a meeting scheduled for wives of governors with the first lady and was promptly escorted outta the meeting . . .

deols:

The presidency could not take the bold step of recognizing the speaker and sending the other out. IT may never be able to take bold steps in more demanding issues.
I have no hope in Jonathan.


This reminds me of Adedibu's wife. She attended a meeting scheduled for wives of governors with the first lady and was promptly escorted outta the meeting . . .

People will just post whatever they like, as they feel it is now fashionable to criticise jonathan on any thing and blame him for anything. The report explicitely makes it clear that :

It was learnt that the meeting, which began around 9pm was not preceded by any accreditation.

So GEJ is so gifted now that he can look at a sea of faces without any form of accreditation and see that Ogun state has two speakers in the gathering? Abi him be winsh?

show of shame, lol

na_so:

People will just post whatever they like, as they feel it is now fashionable to criticise jonathan on any thing and blame him for anything. The report explicitely makes it clear that :

So GEJ is so gifted now that he can look at a sea of faces without any form of accreditation and see that Ogun state has two speakers in the gathering? Abi him be winsh?

No mind dem jare. If rat tie wrapper na Goodluck cause am! LWKMD

jamace:

Fuji House of Commotion!

This one is made in Nigeria.

yes
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na_so:

People will just post whatever they  like, as they feel it is now fashionable to criticise jonathan on any thing and blame him for anything. The report explicitely makes it clear that :

So GEJ is so gifted now that he can look at a sea of faces without any form of accreditation  and see that Ogun state has two speakers in the gathering? Abi him be winsh?

d meeting that was supposed to decide the faith of the coming elections, and indirectly the fate of 15o million nigerians was attended without   accreditation.

That is to show how very effective the presidency is

Any man can just wear Agbada and attend d meeting? thnk about that nd lets see wat u come up wv

^^^^^^^^^^

The article simply says there was no form of accreditation before the meeting started. so how will GEJ know that ogun had 2 speakers in the meeting? the unrealistic responses on this forum only mirror the unrealistic promises our politicians make before elections. wake up and get real madam.

GEJ presides over everythn nd is why the blame always falls on him.

The presidency doesnt only involve GEJ but also the pple he put around himself and they should at least make sure only the right pple attend such meetings