Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Osun State House of Assembly has waded into the crisis rocking the Osogbo South Local Council Development Area (LCDA), following the impeachment of the Chairman, Addulhakeem Olaoye, by the parliamentarians over allegation of fraud.
The Chairman of House Committee on Information, Osun State House of Assembly, Kunle Akande, at a press briefing at the House of Assembly Complex, Abere, Osogbo, on Friday disclosed that the state House of Assembly would ensure the resolution of the crisis.
Akande, however, lamented that the impeachment lacked due process which prompted the speaker, Timothy Owoeye, to order maintenance of status quo ante to ensure that Olaoye remains the chairman, pending proper investigations and resolution.
Akande stressed that the Assembly could not afford to be lawless nor biased because it is a responsible legislative body that is interested in relative peace and development of affected the LCDA and the entire state.
He also disclosed that the Assembly invited the parliamentarians and the ‘impeached’ chairman to a meeting on Friday but the parliamentarians did not show up.
He, however, disclosed that the Assembly had given them another chance to appear next week to ensure that the crisis is resolved.
He urged the press, especially the social media, whom, he alleged to have been reporting falsehood about the crisis, to be objective in their reports in order not to plunge the LCDA and the state into turmoil.
Akande also called on the people of the state, particularly the LCDA, not to take laws into their hands but remain calm as the Assembly ready to resolve the matter amicably in line with the laws of the land.
The embattled chairman disclosed that he mobilised armed security personnel, including DSS and police, on Friday morning to mount security at the LCDA complex to forestall breach of peace and intimidation by the aggrieved parliamentarians or hoodlums.
He added that he remained the authentic chairman of the LCDA as there had been no evidence from any quarters nor by any law that he had been removed from office.
“They didn’t even sit formally.
They only breezed into the office and met briefly and came up with
the decision on the impeachment,” he said.
“I was not even served any impeachment letter. Neither was I informed that I had been impeached. I only saw it on Facebook. That is why I find it difficult to believe that it is an impeachment. So, I don’t take it serious. I can only say that it is politically motivated.”
He, therefore, insisted that he would continue to report in his office and go about his normal duties without fear of intimidation.
