My impeachment as Ogun Speaker unconstitutional

The impeached Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, on Friday rejected his impeachment by 18 lawmakers on Tuesday, insisting that he remained the Speaker.

Speaking during a press briefing held at the legislative quarters on Friday, Oluomo described his removal as ”unconstitutional”, saying that he decided to leave the assembly complex for the governor’s office when the impeachment move against him commenced.

Impeached on Tuesday and replaced by Oludaisi Elemide, the lawmaker representing the Odeda Constituency, Oluomo accused aggrieved lawmakers of terrorising him since the beginning of his second term.

The embattled Oluomo who addressed the press in the Legislative Quarters residence, Ibara GRA,, said that he has approached the court  on the matter.
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He declared the action of the 18 lawmakers as “unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”

He said, “I have been inundated with several calls and messages from several media houses since Tuesday when the drama took place in the House but I have restrained myself from addressing the press  believing that the leadership of the government and the party will intervene

“But by Wednesday when I realised that the intervention was not forthcoming as expected. I think I need to address the press”

Oluomo who thanked the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, for his intervention in the crisis rocking the House, however, said that he had been having it rough with some members of the Assembly who never wanted him as the Speaker for the second term.

He said, “I have no problem with my colleagues, although from day one you all know the history behind my emergence as Speaker for the second term.

“But let be factual with you, I have not been finding it easy. Some members who did not want me as Speaker have not reneged in terrorising. It has been from one problem to another.

“I respect the opinion that says that the House of Assembly has the right to choose their leadership at any given time but if you want to do this, follow due process. We are lawmakers and not lawbreakers”

Oluomo, among other things, explained that he was surprised to receive the notice of his impeachment on Wednesday, January 24 while his purported impeachment was carried out on Tuesday describing this as against the standing rule guiding impeachment of a Speaker.

The impeached Speaker also relayed how the governor and other National Assembly members had intervened but the 18 lawmakers remained adamant.

Oluomo said he had approached the Ogun State High Court to challenge what he called his “gestapo impeachment”.

He said that the court had instructed him to serve the lawmakers and had fixed February 7 for a hearing.

On Tuesday, Oluomo, representing Ifo State Constituency I was removed by 18 legislators over allegations of gross misconduct,  highhandedness, lack of focus and transparency, financial misappropriation and inciting members against one another.

He was immediately replaced by another ranking lawmaker,  Oludaisi Elemide, representing Odeda State constituency.

Speaking to newsmen after being elected as the new speaker, Elemide explained that the people of the state should expect the best from him.

“We are law-abiding legislators.

We want the world to know that there has been a change in leadership.

“18 members signed for me to be the speaker. People should remain calm. We are in custody of all the authority of the house. We are saying that the new leadership will support the governor.

“The governor does not know anything about this impeachment,” he said.

Speaking on the impeachment of Oluomo,  Damilola Soneye, APC lawmaker representing Obafemi/Owode, said, “The speaker was impeached due to gross misconduct,  high handedness, lack of focus and transparency, arrogance and poor leadership style, financial misappropriation and inciting members against themselves.”