Ekiti Assembly Moves to Recover Legislative Quarters from Police

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has promised to look into circumstances surrounding the takeover and occupation of the legislative quarters by the police, with a view to recovering the property.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, pledged the commitment to recover the property at the continuation of screening of the commissioner-nominees held at the Assembly complex yesterday in Ado Ekiti.

Aribasoye also frowned at the attitude of some members of the public who are fond of sitting on the vacant seats of legislators in the Assembly promising to henceforth invoke the law to punish the culprits.

The commissioner-nominees, who appeared before the legislators included former Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Karonwi Oladapo; former Head of Service, Mrs. Peju Babafemi; former Caretaker Chairman of Ijero Local Government Area, Mr. Ojo Atibioke, and former Chairman of Ado Ekiti LGA, Mrs. Tosin Aluko.

Mrs. Aluko, who has an injury on her leg and limped into the chambers for her screening, was not asked any question as she was requested to take a bow and go on compassionate grounds.

The gesture of the legislature not to subject her to questioning on health grounds, which was championed by the Speaker, received a deafening ovation from her supporters most of whom filled the gallery to observe the proceedings.

Rt. Hon. Oladapo, a member of the first Assembly (1999-2003) in which he was privileged to serve as the Deputy Speaker, who went down memory lane on the defining moments of each legislative sessions and their presiding officers, pleaded with the members of the seventh Assembly (2023-2027) to ensure the stability of the current session.

While noting that the state parliament is enriched and made stronger by its members getting re-elected as many times as possible, Karonwi said he was looking at the possibility of having third term members and fourth term members in the Assembly.

The nominee frowned at the takeover of the legislative quarters on NTA Road in Ado Ekiti by the police, noting that the foundation stone of the project was laid during the tenure of the first elected Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, and was designated to be the official residence of serving legislators.

Oladapo urged the Speaker and members of the seventh Assembly to collaborate with the state Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, to ensure that the legislative quarters is recovered from the police and used for the purpose it was intended for.

The former deputy Speaker in his remarks also urged the Assembly to take a second look at the case of some staff members of the Assembly believed to have been unjustly disengaged, urging the concerned authorities to reinstate them.

Oladapo had earlier raised the issue of alleged desecration of the hallowed chambers, including illegal sitting on the legislators’ seats by unauthorised persons, calling for more respect for the legislature from individuals visiting the Assembly.

Responding to the two issues raised by the nominee, the Speaker vowed that no member of the public would be allowed to desecrate the Assembly, urging individuals visiting the Assembly to always ensure decorum anytime they come to the complex.

He said: “No member of the public will be allowed to desecrate the House of Assembly. I hereby give directive to the Sergeant-at-Arm that on no occasion should anybody who is not a member of the seventh Assembly sit on any of the seats meant for the honourable members.

“Mr. Clerk and the Sergeant-at-Arm, I hope you can hear me. Mr. Clerk will brief me on the issue of legislative quarters, and we are going to act appropriately after being fully briefed on the development.”

After addressing the Assembly, the Speaker asked Oladapo to take his bow and leave the hallowed chamber after which former Head of Service, Mrs. Babafemi, was admitted.

The nominee spoke on her experience in the civil service, which she joined in the old Ondo State in 1987 and rose to the pinnacle of the service as the head of service in Ekiti State in 2019 before bowing out in 2022.

Babafemi who had worked in many ministries before becoming a permanent secretary in 2009, promised to bring her experience to bear in the bureaucracy to serve the state diligently to the best of her ability.

Having been satisfied with Mrs. Babafemi’s submissions, the Speaker urged his colleagues not to bother the nominee with questions having served for 35 years in the state civil service.

The Speaker said the Assembly had looked at the nominee’s record of service which he described as unblemished, urging her to always remind her colleagues in the executive if she is confirmed on the need to always honour summons on the need to give account of stewardship.

Other nominees were also grilled by the Assembly members.

The legislators further resolved that the local government areas should collaborate with traditional rulers and religious leaders to sensitise the citizens on the dangers of indiscriminate dumping waste.

Another resolution passed was that the state government should ensure the continuous de-silting and clearing of drainages, work towards recycling waste and commercialising waste collection.

The Assembly meanwhile adjourned its plenary to July 19, 2023.