Ondo Speaker, Deputy impeached

The Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Princess Jumoke Akindele and her Deputy, Alhaji Fatai Oloutu were Friday impeached by 20 out of the 26 members of the Assembly in what many described as a ‘palace coup’.

This was the second time within a year that the Speaker, who represented Okitipupa State constituency, and her Deputy, who represented Akoko Northeast constituency, will be facing the wrath of their colleagues as they were impeached by 18 out of the 26 members of the Assembly in March last year.

The members, who sat at the Assembly complex, elected Mr Malachi Coker representing Ilaje constituency I as acting Speaker while Ayo Arowele representing Owo constituency II was elected as the Deputy Speaker.

This development was coming less than a month to the inauguration of the administration of Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN)

A member of the Assembly, Otunba Olugbenga Araoyinbo representing Akoko Northwest constituency II told New Telegraph that members of the House of Assembly numbering 20 impeached both the Speaker and her deputy on Friday evening.

The impeachment exercise, it was learnt, was carried out within the House of Assembly premises with the Clerk of the Assembly, Mr Bode Adeyelu present during the sitting.

Among the members who signed the impeachment notice according to sources in the Assembly included all the five members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 15 out of the 21 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Although details of the impeachment were not known as at press time, it was learnt that the 26 members House of Assembly had been enmeshed in internal crisis since March last year when Akindele and Olotu were first impeached.

Both Akindele and Olotu were impeached by 18 out of the 26 members in March last year for alleged highhandedness but the intervention of Governor Olusegun Mimiko assisted in reversing the impeachment.

Araoyinbo said the allegations against the Speaker and her Deputy included the misappropriation of a sum of N15 million belonging to the House, highhandedness and abuse of office.

Efforts to get the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Mr Siji Akindiose and the Speaker were unsuccessful as their phones were switched off.