by Kolapo Olapoju
The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adewale Omirin has dared state governor, Ayo Fayose to arrest him and the other 19 lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress.
Omirin was reacting to a recent directive by Fayose urging the Ministry of Justice to write a memo authorising the Commissioner of Police to arrest the 19 APC lawmakers that sat in a plenary last Thursday in Ado Ekiti.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media, Wole Olujobi, the Speaker said APC lawmakers acted within the law to conduct its sitting in a public building in the state capital.
Omirin said: “The governor or the police cannot arrest us for performing our constitutional duty. Section 101 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria makes it explicit that the House can regulate its activities, including conducting its sittings in public buildings in the state capital.”
“The Supreme Court had also ruled that the House can conduct its sittings in public places in the state capital if conditions exist that endanger members in the conduct of their sittings.”
“Governor Fayose has kept armed thugs permanently in the House of Assembly to attack us. We can’t put ourselves in harm’s way, yet we have a responsibility to our constituents to make laws for good governance.”
“The is why we followed the law to sit to consider issues on the ongoing constitutional amendment. The House had a responsibility to respond to the National Assembly demand to send Ekiti State contributions to the constitutional amendment process.”
The Speaker added: “Ekiti State has just one House of Assembly. That is why the National Assembly acknowledged the receipt of our resolutions on the constitutional amendment. If they are sure of their status, let them approach the National Assembly or the Judiciary for recognition.”
Furthermore, Omirin stated that it was apparent that Fayose has not learnt a lesson from his past experience when his actions led to a constitutional crisis that resulted in the declaration of state of emergency, which ended with his removal from office in 2006.
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