Ekiti Youths Protest, Threaten Mass Action Over Suspension Of Lawmaker
Youths from Omuo Ekiti, the headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government on Sunday staged a protest against what they termed illegal suspension of the lawmaker representing the area, Mr. Ojo – Ade Fajana from the state House of Assembly.
The lawmaker was recently suspended by the Assembly for a period of 101 legislative days over alleged gross misconduct without pay, “except he shows signs of genuine remorse.”
A member representing Ikole Constituency 1, Mr. Gboyega Aribisogan, had earlier been suspended last year allegedly for the same offence, which he denied.
His suspension, according to the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Dr. Samuel Omotoso, came into force after the disciplinary committee set up by the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole, to investigate Hon Ojo-Ade submitted its report at plenary.
The youths, who carried placards with different inscriptions, gathered along the major road leading to the local government secretariat in the town, thereby halting vehicular movement to and from the community for several hours.
Some of their placards read ‘Political hostility must be put to an end in Ekiti State’, ‘We say no to illegal suspension of our representative at Ekiti State House of Assembly’, ‘If you want peace, do the needful and restore Ojo Ade Fajana’, ‘Our mandate must not be rubbished by the state Assembly’, ‘We say no to autocratic rule in Ekiti State’.
The youths, during the protests, which paralysed social and commercial activities in the community, sang solidarity songs and demanded immediate and unconditional reversal of the suspension of Fajana within one week by the Ekiti State House of Assembly.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Comrade Olajide Samuel said that the entire Constituency 1 in Ekiti East Local Government has been denied of representation in the scheme of things at the Assembly.
Describing the reason given by members of the Ekiti State Assembly for the suspension as laughable, unjust and unconstitutional, Samuel said that the lawmakers were merely acting the script of their principal.
He therefore called on well – meaning Nigerians, including the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), at the National level and National Assembly to call the Ekiti Assembly to order before they throw the State into avoidable crisis.
Samuel said, “the youths in this local government came out in their numbers to protest against unjust and illegal suspension of the Honourable representing Ekiti East Local Government Constituency 1, in the Ekiti State Assembly.
“The suspended member was being persecuted because of his closeness and allegiance to Senator Biodun Olujimi, who is also from this community.
“We ask whether there is any law in the land, whether in the party constitution, the House Rule or even the 1999 constitution as amended that forbid people from associating with one another.
“We came to the conclusion that our representative is being punished because of the governorship ambition of Olujimi, which we are aware did not go down well with the powers that be in Ekiti government House.”
“We therefore demand immediate and unconditional reinstatement of our lawmaker in whom we are well pleased. If they fail to recall him within one week, they should await further action from us”.
