Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has denied any involvement in the factional crisis rocking the state House of Assembly over the removal of Hon. Gboyega Aribisogan as the Speaker.
Oyebanji applauded all the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state over their swift intervention in resolving the bedlam, which he described as a “family affair”.
Oyebanji said this in Ado Ekiti while playing host to the new Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Olubunmi Adelugba, and the party’s leadership.
The governor described the crisis “as a family affair and one of the beauty of democracy”, denying insinuations in some quarters that he was meddling in the affairs of the House.
He appreciated the lawmakers for their civility, saying: “You have justified the confidence your various constituencies reposed in you, by doing the right thing at the appropriate time.”
Oyebanji assured the new Speaker of his support, reminding her of the need to accelerate action on the passage of the 2023 budget.
The event held at the Governor’s Office was attended by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye; Secretary to the State Government, Dr (Mrs) Abibat Adubiaro, as well as the Special Advisers to the Governor, including Chief Jide Awe, among others.
Presenting the new Speaker amidst cheers in the presence of 17 other members of the assembly, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Akeem Jamiu, described the crisis that broke out in the house in the last few days as an embarrassment, not only to the members of the APC, but to the people of Ekiti State.
He said the House has corrected what he called the anomaly that dogged the leadership change, rendering their assurance that the House under the new leadership would continue to maintain peace, as well as allign with its constitutional duties.
The new Speaker, Adelugba, appreciated all the members of the House and other APC executive members over her emergence as the new Speaker of the House.
She described the process that led to her emergence as peaceful, promising to always maintain allegiance to the people of the state.
Meanwhile, a new set of principal officers have emerged in the Ekiti Assembly, following the change of guards.
The principal officers are Hon. Jamiu who retained his position as Deputy Speaker, while Hon. Oyekola Bode-Adeoye is the new Leader of Government Business.
A statement by Adelugba in Ado Ekiti also listed Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye as the Chief Whip; Hon. Abiodun Fawekun as Deputy Leader, while Hon. Ayodeji Ajayi is the Deputy Chief Whip.
The appointments are with immediate effect.
