Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
Barely 24 hours after the Ekiti State House of Assembly elected a new leadership, crisis is now brewing in the state legislative house, as the police yesterday sealed off the complex over alleged planned invasion by some unidentified thugs.
Sequel to the demise of the Assembly Speaker, Hon Funminiyi Afuye, the lawmakers last Tuesday elected Hon. Gboyega Aribisogan as the new Speaker.
Aribisogan, representing Ikole constituency II, garnered a total of 15 to defeat Hon Bunmi Adelugba from Emure constituency to emerge victorious.
The defeat was said to have sparked controversy, as some party leaders, who had earlier met with the lawmakers, were said to have given a directive that Adelugba should be elected.
When journalists visited the Assembly complex around 12 noon yesterday, armed policemen were stationed at strategic locations in the Assenbly to prevent the purported invasion and breakdown of laws and order.
In the process, all the Assembly’s staff were said to have been driven away, while the complex looked desolate.
Some of the workers, who spoke with journalists under the condition anonymity, explained that: “There was an order from the State Police Command that workers should vacate the Assembly in the interest of peace. We learnt that some people were planning to attack the House of Assembly.”
Aribisogan, during a telephone chat with journalists, said there was no crisis in the Assembly, saying: “The leadership of the state Police Command informed us this morning that they had verifiable intelligence that some hoodlums are coming to attack the Assembly complex, and to avoid the breakdown of law and order, there’s the need for their presence, and they have promised us to conduct investigation on the matter and report to us before the close of work today(yesterday).
“I want to encourage my colleagues and staff of the Assembly to be patient, as normalcy will soon return to the House of Assembly.”
Reacting on the situation at the Assembly, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sunday Abutu, said they took the prompt action by placing restriction to prevent breakdown of law and order.
