Anxiety in Oyo Assembly over plot to suspend 11 lawmakers

Anxiety is currently brewing among members of the Oyo State House of Assembly over the planned suspension of eleven lawmakers, News360 Nigeria reports.

News360 Nigeria reports that the state House of Assembly has 32 members.

News360 Nigeria reports that all eleven members earmarked for suspension are first-timers in the state House of Assembly.

Our correspondent gathered that seven of the lawmakers are members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while four belong to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The seven PDP lawmakers are: Olorunpoto Oluwafemi (Oyo East/Oyo West constituency); Olufunke Comforter (Ibadan North constituency I); Abiodun Babalola (Ibadan North East constituency I); Waheed Akintayo (Oluyole constituency); Bisi Oluranti Micheal (Ogbomoso North); Olajide Operinde (Afijio constituency); and Dauda Olalere (Ibadan North West).

The APC lawmakers are: Ibraheem Shittu (Saki West); Abdulazeez Musbau (Kajola constituency); Jimoh Lukman (Oorelope constituency); and Ayinde Waliu (Irepo/Olorunsogo constituency).

Our correspondent learned from sources within the House of Assembly that, under the leadership of Speaker Adebowale Ogundoyin, the House has decided to suspend these lawmakers due to allegations of working against the leadership of the House.

One source within the House told DAILY POST that the eleven members had previously reported Speaker Adebowale Ogundoyin to the governor.

The sources added that the eleven lawmakers accused the Speaker of sidelining them and mismanaging their Sallah (Eid al-Adha) gifts from the governor.

According to the sources, the lawmakers also leveled other allegations against the Speaker.

One of the sources said, ‘All eleven members reported the Speaker to the governor. They told the governor that the Speaker had sidelined them, that they are not receiving their fair share of whatever benefits the Speaker is receiving. Eleven of them.’”

It was learned that some of the affected lawmakers have been moving from one place to another to ensure that they are saved from the planned suspension.

But one of the lawmakers, Waheed Akintayo, when contacted, said that he had not done anything against the rules of the House.

Akintayo, in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST on Wednesday, said that he had nothing against either the governor or the speaker.

He said, ‘’I do not know anything about what you are talking about. I do not know the source of the story. But what I can tell you is that I have not done anything against the ethics of the House. The governor is my leader. I do not have anything against the governor or the speaker. The House is working, and the work of the House is progressing smoothly.’”

The Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media, Oyetunji Oyekunle, when contacted, said that the House would address the issue on Thursday.

He said, ‘The House will sit tomorrow to address the issue. They will sit tomorrow, Thursday, to address the matter.’”