Ondo Assembly crisis: Coker faction warns Akeredolu to steer clear

Tuesday, February 14, 2017 8:15 am

Rotimi Akeredolu

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

The faction of Hon. Malachi Coker in the Ondo State House of Assembly has warned the governor-elect of the state, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, to steer clear of the crisis rocking the state Legislative arm.

They further warned the governor-elect against taking side in the matter.

Speaking in Ibadan to newsmen, the spokesperson of the faction, Mr. Iroju Ayodeji, in the company of Malachi Coker, his deputy, Ayo Arowele and other members of the faction debunked the claims that the faction is not ready for reconciliation and that their families have gone into hiding.

It would be recalled that the Assembly was sealed off about two weeks ago by the state police command to forestall breakdown of law and order.

The assembly had been thrown into crisis since the impeachment of Jumoke Akindele as speaker and her deputy, Fatai Olotu, based on allegations of N15million fraud levelled against them. The crisis has also led to the polarisation of the House as Coker and Akindele now lay claim to the speakership of the Assembly.

Among the conditions for reconciliation listed by Coker’s faction were:, the withdrawal of the court case filed against them by Akindele’s faction, re-opening of the House of Assembly Complex and allowing the new principal officers of the Assembly to preside over the affairs of the house.

He argued that calling for reconciliation when a case is still pending in court is nothing but a carrot and stick approach to reconciliation stressing, “Such reconciliation is not genuine. If there must be reconciliation, it must be genuine”.

Ayodeji maintained that Akindele and Olotu were legally impeached and suspended with signatures of 20 among the 26 members of the assembly, alleging that the outgoing governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has been the one supporting Akindele’s faction and was purportedly instrumental to the sealing off of the assembly complex.