Tension heightened in Ekiti on Wednesday, as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Ekiti State House of Assembly who had been on self- exile resumed.
The APC lawmakers, led by Adewale Omirin, drove in a convoy of about 14 cars and stormed the assembly complex in a grand style, as they headed for the parliamentary hall where they held a session.
16 out of the 19 members of the caucus attended the session.
The Majority Leader, Churchill Adedipe, was said to be in Abuja, while Olasehinde Ogunrinde and Kehinde Boluwade were absent at the sitting.
Until Wednesday’s dramatic appearance, the aggrieved lawmakers had made several unsuccessful attempts to return to the assembly.
Details of their discussions were not made known to the press, as the session was held behind closed doors.
As the drama unfolded at the Parliamentary room, Dele Olugebemi, Speaker of the PDP caucus was in his office and did not make any effort to interrupt his rival colleagues.
Staff of the Assembly abandoned their offices and duty posts as combined team of police and military personnel stormed the Assembly complex to take charge of security.
In less than 30 minutes, the Assembly complex was saturated with security forces made of soldiers, police, State Security agents and members of the Civil Defense Corps.
Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, who also arrived the complex, ordered the closure of the Assembly forthwith.
He said the Command cannot fold its arms and allow the state slide into chaos.
The APC caucus had commenced the session with praise and worship while Folorunso Ogundele, representing Efon Constituency offered prayers before the meeting began.
The session barely lasted for 10 minutes when the lawmakers emerged from the Assembly and briefed the pressmen who had patiently been waiting outside.
Omirin, who spoke on behalf of his members, disclosed that they were in the Assembly to begin their legislative jobs.
As they emerged from the Assembly, some of them chanted ‘Sai Buhari, Sai Baba’, the political slogan of the president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari.
Omirin described Olugbemi as an impostor, saying the rightful owner of the position has come and that nobody dares stand on his way.
“Why are you surprised that we are here? I don’t expect you to expect surprise that we are in our offices because we are duly elected as members of the State House of Assembly.
“This is my office and I shouldn’t be asked why I am here. Though we have instituted a case in court against the seven lawmakers for the fake impeachment against me, but that would not prevent us from doing what we are supposed to do”, Omirin stated.
When asked whether Buhari’s victory prompted their action, Omirin said “no, that is not true. It was just a mere coincidence. Don’t forget the fact that I have not been here since November does not mean I have not been performing my duties. So, whether Buhari is declared or not, we have to do our work.
“I have been attending Speakers’ meetings in Abuja and attending to my people at my constituency, so we haven’t abdicated our duty”.
Efforts made by Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations in Ekiti State to pacify APC lawmakers not to reconvene fell on deaf ears, as the lawmakers engaged him in verbal war and told him that they needed not taking any permission from the police before holding their session.
When the factional speaker, Olugbemi, emerged from the Assembly, he criticized the Police Commissioner for closing down the Assembly.
“Mr CP, I don’t think it was right to have closed down the Assembly. We have the capacity to contain the APC lawmakers. We are ready to meet them fire for fire”.
But the CP said he took the action to prevent violence in the State, saying the police must be proactive to prevent Ekiti from being turned into a war zone.
Omirin was banished alongside 18 members of the APC by seven lawmakers loyal to Governor Ayodele Fayose last year.
Subsequently, Omirin was impeached by the seven lawmakers on November 17, 2014 and elected Olugbemi, who had since been presiding over the affairs of the Assembly.
Few of those that attended the meeting included the Deputy Speaker, Tunji Orisalade, Wunmi Ogunlola, Ade Ajayi, Gbenga Odebunmi, among others.
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