Wednesday, 01 June 2011

IT was drama galore on the floor of the Ogun State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, as the group of 15 lawmakers, led by Honourable Tunji Egbetokun, resumed sitting, after their purported suspension by nine other members believed to be loyalists of the former governor of the state, Chief Gbenga Daniel.

The lawmakers, at the sitting which lasted for about four and a half hours, declared the sittings and all resolutions passed by the faction led by Honourable Soyemi Coker as null and void.

Egbetokun had, at the sitting, asked the House’s Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr Tajudeen Olasehinde, to identify the authentic mace of the Assembly.
Olasehinde, while identifying the mace, noted that the one in custody of Egbetokun was the authentic mace he had been carrying in the last 18 years.

Egbetokun ordered that the fake mace be destroyed before members and was cut into pieces in the presence of all.

The Sergeant-at-Arms, while defending his role in the House crisis, said “I only led a speaker to the House during the valedictory sitting on Wednesday, but I never carried any mace. I only discovered that the mace will be on the crest during the sittings.”

Olasehinde further said he was on the floor of the House on that fateful day on the order of the Clerk of the House, Mr Demola Badejo and, as a civil servant, he obeyed.

The clerk, while stating his position on what the House described as illegal sitting, said he was compelled to do so by natural law.

Meanwhile, the G-9 lawmakers have said the plenary session held by Egbetokun and 14 others was nothing but contempt of court.

A statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Abeokuta and signed by Mr Ayo Giwa said all legislative activities of the sixth legislature of the Ogun State House of Assembly were rounded off on May 24, with a valedictory sitting at the chambers of the Assembly complex.



http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/22855-drama-as-g-15-lawmakers-sit-in-ogun