There was mild drama on the floor of the Oyo State House of Assembly on Tuesday when the House ordered the police to immediately arrest the chairmen nominee purportedly sworn in by the executive arm last week Friday without the approval of the House of Assembly.
The order followed the issue raised by a lawmaker representing Atiba State constituency, Hon. Gbenga Oyekola on the swearing in of the two unapproved caretaker chairmen nominee for Irepo local government and Asabari local council development area and also the swearing in of another person by the executive arm to replace already screened and approved person for Lagelu West local council development area.
The House has directed the affected chairmen to stop parading themselves as local government caretaker chairmen and if they thereby parade themselves, the divisional police officer (DPO) in charge of those council areas should get them arrested and hand them over to the Commissioner of Police.
The House has also referred the matter to its House committee on Privileges/Ethics with a view to doing a thorough investigation into it and report back to the House within two weeks.
Similarly, the House also rejected a letter dated 6th April, 2017 sent to it by the executive arm to notify it on the replacement of Mr Akeem Aransi who was screened and approved by the House with Mr Abiodun Oladeji Peter, that was sworn in last Friday by the executive arm for Lagelu West LCDA without screening and approval of the House.
All the Lawmakers who commented on the issue frowned at the swearing in of the said affected chairmen and described the development as a flagrant disobedience to the power confered on the House of Assembly to discharge its constitutional duties.
According to Hon. Oyekola, “you will recall that the executive forwarded 57 names to us for approval and confirmation and after our screening, we found 55 appointable and the remaining two unappointable. But to our dismay, the executive arm went ahead to swear in 57 nominees including the two nominees that were rejected by this honourable house. Also, it was noted that at Lagelu West LCDA, the candidate screened and approved by this House was not sworn in but instead he was replaced by another person.”
Speaking with House correspondents shortly after the plenary, the Chairman House committee on Information, Hon. Joshua Oyebamiji described the letter written to the House as just a make up for the executive which is already belated.
According to him, “the letter sent to the House is a belated issue – to now be sending the name that was never screened and neglecting the one that has already be screened. The House has passed the letter to the committee on Privileges and Ethics for further investigation and action.”
Packaged by Feyisayo Oladiipo
