Fayose impeachment threat heightens

TOYIN ANISULOWO, Ado-Ekiti

A fresh crisis is brewing in Ekiti State between the state Governor, Ayo Fayose, and the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers, following fears that the lawmakers may forcefully regain entrance into the State House of Assembly and commence legislative business yesterday.

The lawmakers, emboldened by the inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari as President, threatened to resume sitting yesterday, prompting panic within government circles in the state.

People close to the two camps said that the lawmakers planned to gain access to the house yesterday, and then make the impeachment of the governor their main business of the day.

Although security agencies later sealed the Assembly complex, residents said trucks-full of security operatives were drafted around the building, with some mounting checks at strategic places in the tension-soaked state capital.

Supporters of Governor Fayose also blocked some major entry point to the state – including the Iitawure-Efon-Ado Road – to stop the APC lawmakers and their supporters from gaining access to the state capital.

At about 11.15am, suspected thugs mobilized to the vicinity of the Assembly complex where they waited for the lawmakers.

A visit to some parts of the city including the House of Assembly area and adjoining streets showed the thugs milling around, standing in groups in some locations.

Although the thugs were not allowed inside the House of Assembly complex by armed policemen keeping vigil in the area, the hoodlums were observing events from safe distance.

Some of the places where the thugs converged include an uncompleted petrol station at Awedele Road junction, an uncompleted block of the State Secretariat complex at the back of the Assembly complex, under a tree beside Ekiti Parapo Square and the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat near NTA Ado Ekiti.

Riot policemen deployed to the area conducted stop-and-and-search operation and barricaded some portions of NTA Road, State Secretariat Road and the road leading to the Judges’ Quarters.

Vehicles belonging to drivers’ unions were parked in the vicinity of the Government House with the unions’ members standing by.

Bonfires were lit in places like Irona/Isato junction, Ijigbo Roundabout and Omisanjana junction.

The thugs laying siege in the vicinity of the Assembly complex were later dislodged by riot policemen.

Some thugs, believed to have sympathy for Fayose, had invaded the residence of Senator Babafemi Ojudu (APC- Ekiti Central), Sunday night, threatening to burn the place down.

A resident said the movement of security personnel around the city portends danger to the fragile peace within the city.

However, commercial and social activities were going on at press time.

Governor Fayose had earlier promised to pay all the entitlements of the lawmakers up to date, debunking claims by the lawmakers that they were still being owed by the administration.

The Chief Press Secretary to Fayose, Idowu Adelusi, said Monday that the security men deployed around the Assembly complex were drafted to enforce a court order barring the APC lawmakers from carrying out any impeachment.

“There is a subsisting court order which says status quo should be maintained and that court order has not been vacated,” Adelusi said.

“It is the duty of security operatives to ensure law and order and that is what they are doing.”

Although the lawmakers were yet to make good their threat at the time of filing this report, Adelusi said “the people” were prepared to protect the government they enthroned.

“We hear that they are coming to impeach the governor, but the people that voted him into office say they are waiting for them,” he said.

The spokesperson of the Ekiti state Police Command could not be reached for comments at this time.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over what it called an illegal plot by some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to oust Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.

Fayose, who has been having a running battle with the members of the State House of Assembly, had obtained a court order restricting the members from proceeding with the impeachment process.

The Acting Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, while addressing a retreat of elected lawmakers under the party holding in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the Ekiti lawmakers “are presently camped at a location in Osun in preparation to be moved to Ekiti”.

Secondus said the party considered it illegal and a test of its patience if the Ekiti lawmakers and their backers will be allowed to make real their intentions.

“We call on President Buhari to intervene. As a party, we will not sit down and watch democracy being derailed. We have been working on deepening democracy for the past 16 years. We must continue to deepen it and I call on you to continue to depend democracy.”

Secondus, in a reaction to brickbats that followed the party’s abysmal performance in the last round of elections, called on members of the party to bring an end to the blame game and face the task of rebuilding the party.

He said the PDP plans to rev up its research and communication units to reposition itself as a formidable opposition party.

Earlier, the President of the Senate, David Mark, said as a minority party, the PDP is prepared to provide “credible, focused and vibrant opposition” at the National Assembly.

He said with unity among party members and synergy between leadership of the party and elected persons under the party, the PDP would be stronger and capable of giving the ruling APC a tough fight.

“We will very credible in our opposition. We will prepare ourselves so that we will have accountability and good governance”.