Daud Olatunji
The 60-year-old immediate-past Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, became a sacrificial lamb on Tuesday as he was impeached by 18 out of 26 lawmakers.
Oluomo was impeached while he was a few kilometers away from the chamber, attending a public event with the state governor, Dapo Abiodun.
His impeachment, however, was a smooth ride except for pockets of violence that erupted when security operatives attempted to foil the impeachment of Oluomo.
An eyewitness hinted PLATFORM TIMES that the lawmakers who had perfected the plot dragged the deputy speaker Bolanle Ajayi from Yewa South to the chamber and forced her to preside over the plenary in the absence of the former Speaker.
Crisis arose when a lawmaker, Adegoke Adeyanju (APC-Yewa North I), moved the motion for Oluomo’s impeachment and was seconded by Ademola Adeniran Adeyinka, Sapele (APC-Sagamu II), after an impeachment notice had been signed by 18 out of 26 of them.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Adeyanju had entered the assembly chamber with the mace, in the company of other lawmakers.
The lawmakers forced their way into the Assembly complex and the hallowed chamber to impeach the speaker.
A few other lawmakers also manned the two entrances into the hallowed chamber where the new Speaker came in and sat for less than one minute.
Elemide, in the absence of the gavel, also used his bare hand as the gavel and banged the table following the suspension of the plenary for a week.
Security operatives, however, fired tear gas to dislodge the lawmakers from the chambers, but the aggrieved lawmakers stayed in the midst of the tear gas and completed the process which threw up Daisi Elemide, a lawmaker from Odeda.
Elemide and Oluomo shared the same traits as they are both third-term lawmakers and are from Ogun Central, the zone that produced the Speaker.
Unlike what happened when the erstwhile Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mrs. Titi Oseni, was impeached during the administration of Gbenga Daniel, the executive, which not only locked the legislative complex but also ensured the new leadership did not sit in the hallowed chamber, Abiodun’s government did not intervene.
The lackadaisical attitude of the executive to the plight of Oluomo, who was with the governor at a public function while the impeachment was going on, indicated that Oluomo has fallen out of the governor’s camp.
PLATFORM TIMES recalls that the emergence of Oluomo as the Speaker in 2019 was endorsed by Abiodun, while his re-election was jointly facilitated by both Abiodun and Senator Olamilekan Yayi’s camp through the estranged Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Politics, Tunji Egbetokun.
PLATFORM TIMES can report that the majority of the lawmakers had in 2019 settled for Daisi Elemide as their new Speaker for the 10th assembly, but, both camps thwarted the plan and installed Oluomo.
An impeccable source hinted PLATFORM TIMES that Oluomo trampled on the interests of the two camps and was marked for punishment.
While PLATFORM TIMES could not be able to confirm the bottled hostility between Abiodun and Yayi’s camps, it was gathered that Egbetokun, who had spearheaded a lot of political decisions for Abiodun since 2019, fell out with the governor over the governorship ambition of Yayi.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Egbetokun was given a choice to choose either Abiodun or Yayi, and he went for the latter.
Oluomo, who was a beneficiary of the two camps, was reported to have stepped on toes prior to the supreme court judgment and was marked.
PLATFORM TIMES could not, as at the time of filing this report, confirm the authenticity of the report that Oluomo had negotiated for the deputy governor’s slot ahead of 2027 with Yayi’s camp, which went ultra vires to the camp of Abiodun, he was also acussed of overstepping his boundary for his reported ambition as the next governor from the Egba block in 2027.
Some impeccable sources told PLATFORM TIMES that the intelligence report on the activities of Oluomo leaked to the executive, which had been protecting him from humiliation, decided to key into the long-time plot to oust him.
Oluomo became the sacrificial lamb as he became the third impeached speaker of the state House of Assembly.
PLATFORM TIMES recalls that on May 16, 2008, Oseni was removed as Speaker and was replaced by Tunji Egbetokun from Obafemi-Owode constituency.
Oseni was removed while she was in Abuja for a public function.
She was removed by 22 out of 26 lawmakers after spending five years on the saddle as she was elected in 2003 and was re-elected in 2007.
Egbetokun was removed by nine of the 26-member House of Assembly. He was immediately replaced with Soyemi Coker from Odeda.
The nine lawmakers were loyalists of the governor, Gbenga Daniel, who reportedly slept within the Assembly complex on Sunday night and carried out the impeachment, which they did as early as 7 am.
They were alleged to have made use of the mace belonging to the Abeokuta South Local Government legislative arm to carry out the operation, having burgled the Assembly’s chambers.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that Daniel’s administration did not survive the crisis, resulting in shutting down the assembly in 2009 until the administration ended and was reopened when Ibikunle Amosun emerged as governor in 2011.
… Lawmakers Explain Oluomo’s Removal; New Speaker Clarifies Timing
A member of the State House of Assembly representing Obafemi-Owode Constituency, Damilola Shoneye, stated, “Oluomo came on board; we never wanted him, but the party leadership insisted due to his previous role as a speaker.”
Shoneye revealed, “Oluomo, claiming a lack of funds, would approach us, but later we discovered the governor had indeed allocated funds. He takes memos to the governor, receives money, then falsely reports no funds.”
Why We Struck Now – New Ogun Speaker
The new Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, explained the delayed impeachment, stating the Assembly awaited the Supreme Court decision on Governor Abiodun’s election before removing Oluomo. Elemide emphasized the desire for the governor to concentrate on the case without distractions.
Elemide expressed gratitude for the Supreme Court judgment, emphasizing the new leadership’s commitment to directing and ruling over the house. He clarified they weren’t seeking conflict with the governor but working for the masses’ interest.
Addressing concerns about the Assembly being labeled a “rubber stamp House,” Elemide emphasized their dedication to upholding the right procedures.
The Speaker highlighted the peaceful removal of Oluomo as a demonstration of law-abiding behavior, exercising their powers under the laws. He clarified the Speaker’s role, stating, “The Speaker is the first amongst equals, chosen by members.”
The Notice of Impeachment, endorsed by 18 lawmakers from both APC and PDP, cited Oluomo’s high-handedness, lack of focus, transparency issues, arrogance, poor leadership, financial misappropriation, and inciting members.
The lawmakers, in line with constitutional provisions and the House’s Standing Rules, moved for Oluomo’s immediate impeachment.
The 18 signatories include Hon. Adeyanju Adegoke Olusesi, Hon. Akingbade Jemili, Hon. Lawal Samsideen Adekunle, Hon. Ayodele Wasiu, Hon. Lamidi Olatunji, Hon. Awolaja Dickson Kolawole, Hon. Adeniran Ademola Adeyinka, Hon. Elemide Oladaisi, and Hon. Bello Mohammed.
Others are Hon. Adesanya Oluseun, Hon. Atobatele Lukmon, Hon. Waliu Ifedolapo, Hon. Amosun Yusuf, Hon. Babatunde Tella, Hon. Soneye Damilola, Hon. Adeleye Lukman, Hon. Ajayi Bolanle Lateefat, and Hon. Kashamu Rasheed.
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