On Tuesday, the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Oludaisi Elemide, intervened to halt a motion aimed at suspending former Speaker Olakunle Oluomo for fourteen legislative days. The motion, initiated by Babatunde Tella of the Abeokuta North State Constituency and supported by five other lawmakers, sought disciplinary action against Oluomo for unspecified violations of the House’s regulations.
During the session, after extensive debate by the motion’s co-sponsors, Speaker Elemide called for restraint among his colleagues, emphasizing the importance of peace and tranquillity within governance spheres to foster the state’s development. Elemide’s plea, grounded in the belief that maintaining a harmonious environment is crucial for the state’s advancement, acknowledged the allegations against Oluomo but advocated for a more lenient approach to handling the matter. He stressed the importance of upholding the dignity and sanctity of the legislative institution as a symbol of democracy. By suspending action on the motion, the Speaker signaled a preference for reconciliation and unity over punitive measures.
Earlier, Hon. Tella, also the Assembly’s Deputy Chief Whip, had opened the debate on the motion, expressing serious concern about Oluomo’s behavior and highlighting violations of the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act of 2018. Other lawmakers, including the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye; Adegoke Adeyanju; Oluseun Adesanya; and Waliu Owode, supported the motion, citing violations of House rules and regulations by the former Speaker. The Assembly previously removed Oluomo over various allegations, but he contested the legality of his impeachment in court. On January 30, 22 members of the Assembly ratified his impeachment. Additionally, the Assembly observed a minute of silence in honor of the late artist and cultural icon, Pa Jimi Solanke, who passed away the previous day at 81 years old, as reported by Hon. Dickson Awolaja, representing Remo North State Constituency.
