Impeachment Triggers Silence from Key Figures Amidst Claims of Misconduct
In a surprising turn of events, the Speaker of the APC Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, was abruptly impeached on Tuesday, sparking a notable silence from Governor Dapo Abiodun and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Efforts to obtain reactions from both the governor and party leaders on Wednesday proved futile, as calls to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Lekan Adeniran, went unanswered, and messages sent via WhatsApp remained unacknowledged.
Similarly, attempts to contact Chief Yemi Sanusi, the chairman of the ruling party in the state, and the party’s Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye, were met with unanswered calls and unreplied messages.
The ousted Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, remained unreachable as his mobile line indicated that it was switched off.
Oluomo, representing Ifo State Constituency I, was reportedly attending the swearing-in of customary court judges at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, just meters away from the Assembly complex when the impeachment took place.
Findwhosabi reported that 18 legislators were behind Oluomo’s removal, and he was swiftly replaced by Oludaisi Elemide, another ranking lawmaker representing the Odeda State constituency.
The newly appointed Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, asserted that Governor Abiodun played no role in Oluomo’s removal, stating, “The governor does not know anything about this impeachment.”
APC lawmaker Damilola Soneye, representing Obafemi/Owode, cited gross misconduct, lack of focus, transparency issues, arrogance, poor leadership style, financial misappropriation, and incitement of members against themselves as the reasons behind Oluomo’s impeachment.
In a surprising twist, APC former Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Dare Kadiri, who had previously accused Oluomo of financial impropriety, claimed that the impeachment vindicated his earlier allegations. Kadiri, who represented Ijebu North State Constituency II from 2019 to 2023, expressed satisfaction, stating that the recent events validated his concerns about Oluomo’s leadership style.
Speaking to journalists, Kadiri emphasized the need to address corruption within the political system and hailed the impeachment as a victory for democracy in Ogun State.