Fayemi’s Desperate Move to Control Ekiti Assembly
Who has been monitoring recent developments in Ekiti State House of Assembly which culminated in the election of two Speakers within one week, writes on the background of the crisis and why apolitical leaders in the state may have to step in to resolve is
After successfully installing Biodun Oyebanji as his successor, former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, felt he must also extend that control to the state House of Assembly by installing a successor to the late Speaker, Hon Funminiyi Afuye. But a coup de grace by some renegade Assembly members put paid to this; albeit temporarily.
In what could be described as a ‘counter coup’, Fayemi’s loyalists staged the impeachment of the new Speaker, Hon Gboyega Aribisogan, and installed his preferred candidate, Hon Bunmi Adelugba, which has now thrown the Assembly and, by extension the state, into a needless crisis.
A Death and the Marching Order…
The moment the death of Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon Funminiyi Afuye, was announced, those who knew the political undercurrents in the state immediately the new governor, Biodun Oyebanji, was sworn-in would tell you that there would be problematic days ahead. While those who were angling to succeed him kept very low profile and didn’t show their hands, obviously due to the fact that the man’s body was still in the morgue, the moment his body was lowered into the grave on Friday, November 11, 2022, they went to work.
Immediate past governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, whose plans to become the dominant political figure and decider in the state are no longer hidden, was the first to make a move.
He summoned the remaining ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the 26-member Assembly to his Ado-Ekiti home on Sunday, November 13th and told them what he wanted: Olubunmi Adelugba of Emure Constituency must emerge the new Speaker.
At the meeting with Assembly members were Bisi Egbeyemi, Modupe Adelabu and Abiodun
Aluko, all former deputy governors.
Also there were Paul Omotosho, the state party chairman, Chief Alaba Bejide, a party stalwart and Garba Arigundade, the secretary of the party in the state.
According to sources, Fayemi and the party leaders said they did not want the election of the new Speaker to create rancour and wanted the seat to remain at Ekiti South Senatorial District and hence should support Adelugba.
Sources said Aribisogan stood up and said they had heard but would go to their various constituencies for consultations and there were also rules and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to follow.
Even at that, Fayemi and the party leaders were said to have told the Assembly members that whatever they came back with, Adelugba must emerge.
During the meeting with the APC Assembly members, one of them was said to have told him in plain terms that they were surprised that the former governor could call them and give them political instructions after at least 15 of them
were denied tickets to go back to the House.
In fact, practically all Assembly members on the platform of the party who supported the current governor, Oyebanji, to pick the party’s governorship ticket were inexplicably denied ticket to return to the House.
One of them was the one who protested to Fayemi after he asked them to ensure the emergence of Adelugba as the new Speaker.
Fayemi was said to have appealed to them to sheath the sword and ensure that Adelugna emerge as the new Speaker.
The Assembly members were said to have agreed to ensure the former governor’s wishes were achieved but what they did not tell him was that they had other plans. It was when Fayemi’s foot soldiers who were in the House to ensure that things went as planned listened to the person to nominate Adelugba that they got the shocker of their lives.