Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, said on Thursday that members of the State House of Assembly have the right to choose their leader.
The governor stated this while reacting to the crisis, which on Tuesday engulfed the State House of Assembly and consumed Olakunle Oluomo, who was then the Speaker of the Assembly.
He was immediately replaced with Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, who represents Odeda State Constituency in the State House of Assembly.
Reacting to the development, the governor agreed with the Assembly that the legislators reserve the right to choose whoever pleases them as their leader in the legislative arm of the government.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Kayode Akinmade, on Thursday, the governor also acknowledged that the crisis in the Assembly had lasted for a while.
“There had been internal wrangling in the Assembly that had persisted and degenerated despite several interventions.
“It is the prerogative of members of the House of Assembly to choose their leadership in line with the Constitution and the law guiding the conduct of the Assembly.”
It will be recalled that the former Speaker was impeached on Tuesday after he was accused of highhandedness, lack of focus and transparency, arrogance, poor leadership style, financial misappropriation, and inciting members against themselves.
The governor, however, added that the government was working with the party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), intending to resolve all contending issues.
The statement added, “Working with the leadership of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the government intends to see all the contending issues resolved in a democratic, fair, and just manner.
“The Ogun State government notes that the honourable members have openly stated that their grouse is not with the governor, whom they again pledged their loyalty to.
“Given that the Ogun electorate gave us a mandate to represent their best interests and deliver democratic dividends that will significantly improve their well-being, the Ogun State government, along with the party leadership, have intervened to ensure that whatever disagreement members have is resolved peacefully and amicably, so that the delivery of democratic dividends to our people will not be hampered in any way.”
