Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
Lawmakers suspended by the Ekiti State House of Assembly have floored the House in a court ruling which not only reinstated them but also ordered payment of a year arrears to them.
The court described the action by the state’s Assembly on the suspension and stoppage of salaries and emoluments of the lawmakers as ‘egregious, indecorous, unbecoming and clearly out of order’.
In its ruling, on Friday, the court declared that the Assembly erred in law when a factional meeting of October 11, 2018, suspended some honourable members and described it as ‘anomalous, defective, unseemly, out of place, wicked and outright abuse of power’.
READ ALSO: World Sight Day: Govt. tasked on specialised schools, employment opportunities for the blind
The court also declared the purported impeachment of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Kola Oluwawole, and the deputy, Rt. Hon. Adesina Animasaun, as ‘void, baseless and a nullity’ thereby declaring the purported speakership of Hon. Adeniran Ebenezer Alagbada (Ise) and his team of principal officers as unknown to law and therefore non-existent in the history of Ekiti State.
In a release, on Friday, chairman of the 5th Ekiti State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Dr. Samuel Omotoso, listed the affected ‘EKHA 6’ as the leader of the House; Hon. Tunji Akinyele ( Oye 2), the Deputy Whip; Hon. Ekundayo Akinleye (Ijero), Hon. Olusanya Aladeyelu (Irepodun- Ifelodun 2),
Hon. Olawale Onigiobi ( Ekiti South West 1), Hon. Ayodele Fajemilehin ( Gbonyin) and Hon. Dr Samuel Omotoso (Oye 1).
It would be recalled that the ‘EKHA 6’ were the last honourable members standing with the former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Ayodele Fayose, after the remaining 19 either defected to the APC at the twilight of their stay in office or betrayed their party, the PDP, with an ‘unholy alliance’ with the APC due to several inducements.
Dr. Omotoso stated further that the injustice meted to the ‘EKHA 6’ through their illegal suspension and the non-payments of their salaries and allowances led them to approach the State High Court, seeking for equity and justice and hence described the judgement as a great relief from all unmerited pains and unjust dislocations of the honourable members and hence a positive development.
He, therefore, believed that Governor Kayode Fayemi, being a custodian and a product of the rule of law, would abide and respect the court judgement and pay the outstanding salaries and allowances as ordered by the court without further delay.
READ ALSO: Late veteran broadcaster, Olasope, to be buried with microphone- Son
He said that the emoluments of all honourable members were statutorily recognised under the law since the position of an elected ;awmaker is tenured under the 1999 Constitution as amended and thus cannot be wished away.
He also appreciated the judiciary for standing firm as truly the bastion of all democracies in the world.
The former Chairman of the House Committee on Information also commended his last standing colleagues, describing them as men of integrity, courage and faithfulness whose unblemished names and records in reliability and loyalty to a worthy cause will go down in history of Ekiti State as a memorable reference.
Lastly, he advised all states governors to recognise the Legislature as a distinct arm of government as enshrined in the Constitution and hence desist from all onslaught, political harassment and economic intimidation of State Legislators.
