Estimated reading time: 10 minute(s)
Olasunkanmi Akinlotan
The Ogun state House of Assembly has passed a bill asking for the nullification of any financial transaction made with anyone, employment, and upgrade or appointment of Obas made by the former governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun between 1st of February and May 28th, 2019.
The nullification was announced following a bill and three resolutions passed by the assembly during an emergency plenary session held on Friday, negating the aforementioned last-minute activities of the former governor.
During the plenary, the Speaker also announced the appointment of Hon. Olusola Sonuga as its new Majority Leader, after consulting with the members of the majority party, All Progressives Congress.
The passage of the bill titled H. B 047/OG/2019- “Nullification of Irregularities (Amendment) Law, 2019” at the plenary presided over by Speaker followed the suspension of the Assembly’s standing orders 45 -48 to allow for the consecutive second and third readings of the bill.
Consequently, after the first reading of the bill on the floor of the Assembly by the Deputy Clerk, Mr Deji Adeyemo and debated by other members of the Assembly during its second reading, motion for the third reading was moved by the new Majority Leader, Olusola Sonuga, seconded by Olawale Alausa and supported by the Whole House through a voice vote.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo who opened the debate on issues of the day noted that the bill was an amendment to the one earlier passed by the Assembly at the inception of the last administration to reverse all irregularities especially on employment of over 2, 000 workers employed by the then Daniel administration few months to the take-off of the Senator Amosun’s led government.
Earlier in their separate submissions, members including the Deputy Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, Hon Akinpelu Aina, Olusola Bankole, Olusola Sonuga and Adebowale Ojuri, said the last-minute appointments, upgrading, and employment by the last administration did not follow due process, lacked merit, not in good faith and was lopsided.
They equally submitted that all financial transactions with any financial institution done by the administration not approved through the House of Assembly resolution should not be honoured by the current government.
Adeyemo thereafter did the third reading of the bill, while Speaker Adekunbi directed that the clean copy of the bill should be forwarded to the new Governor, Dapo Abiodun for his assent.
The Assembly passed a resolution directing the State Government to immediately dissolve all chairmen and members of statutory boards and parastatals having been paid their severance allowance by the immediate past administration.
In a related development, the Assembly through a resolution has equally suspended all political functionaries in all Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Councils (LCDAs) in the State.
Chairmen and House leaders to appear are however directed to appear before the Assembly on 7th of June, 2019 for appropriate investigation on allegations of gross misconduct and misappropriation of public fund.
The Assembly unanimously passed another resolution calling for the reversal and review of all the upgrading of traditional rulers including Obas and Baales done within the same period for holistic assessment by the new administration with a view to promoting peaceful coexistence and entrenching good governance in the State.
In their remarks, Hon Akinpelu Aina, Viwanu Ojo, Olawale Alausa, Israel Jolaoso, Rasaq Oduntan and Adebiyi Adeleye citing instances of the irregularities, reported that there were series of complaints on the promotion and appointments of new monarchs, saying that the traditional institutions and relevant stakeholders were not consulted.
