Ekiti Assembly holds session under bridge

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has held a special session under the newly-constructed Ado Ekiti flyover and joined in the call for a free, fair and credible election on July 14th in the state.The plenary session of Ekiti Assembly under the AdobridgeAt the special session held at the base of the bridge, on Monday, warned that rigging, intimidation and the like would not help the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.At the sitting presided over by the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole, the lawmakers commended Governor Ayodele Fayose for what they said was his good performances as governor of the state.They also warned the Federal Government against rigging the July 14 governorship election, saying “we have been hearing that they are planning to arrest us, but we can’t be harassed, cowed or intimidated or kidnapped by anybody.”Nineteen of the members of the House excluding the recently impeached deputy speaker, Segun Adewumi and replaced Chief whip, Sunday Akinniyi, attended the sitting and had driven from the Assembly complex in a convoy to the bridge, and held the special plenary for about an hour fifteen minutes.The lawmakers’ action had blocked access to the flyover and other adjoining roads, which led to the diversion of vehicular movement.The House commended Fayose for “his giant strides in Ekiti” and also identified with the continuity agenda it said “would enable the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Professor Kolapo Olusola and his running mate, Mr Ayodeji Ogunsakin, to succeed Fayose in October.The Assembly also resolved that the federal government presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari shouldn’t truncate democracy in Ekiti by rigging the election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the poll, Dr Kayode Fayemi.They warned that any attempt to rg the election and immerse Ekiti into a crisis of monumental proportion will be resisted, just as they warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to be above board and act truly as unbiased umpires.Speaking at the session after contributions from members, Hon Oluwawole, described Dr Fayemi as a serial loser in Ekiti politics, who can’t be helped with any federal might.“Even the election he won in 2010 was through judicial abracadabra of the Justice Ayo Salami-led Appeal Panel. He lost in 2014 and he will lose woefully on July 14.“We register our unalloyed loyalty to Governor Fayose for his good works and we urge the good people of Ekiti State to troop out on July 14 and vote for the joint ticket of Kolapo Olusola and Deji Ogunsakin.”He dispelled the insinuation that ten lawmakers were planning to defect on account of an alleged frosty relationship with Fayose.He stated: “The Assembly is united for Fayose and for continuity agenda. Those who didn’t attend this session took permission. Only one lawmaker is on suspension, the remaining 25 are united as one big family.”While contributing at the plenary, the Chairman House Committee on Information, Hon Samuel Omotoso, said Fayemi popularity has nosedived to the level that his impending defeat can’t be salvaged by anybody, including President Buhari.“Dr Fayemi’s case in this election is like a case of a patient whose situation has no good prognosis, it means such patient can’t survive. So, Fayemi can’t survive this political fall.“I am from his constituency. Out of the six wards in the constituency, the former governor has always been winning only one, which was his Isan/Ilemeso/Ilafon ward. So, Fayemi is a patient that can’t be helped.”At a press conference after the session, Omotoso said: “We have consistently resisted and stated for the umpteenth time that executive-legislature bickering is not sine qua non to legislative performance as some are made to believe.“We were elected by the people to ensure accountability and rapid transformation across the state, this we have achieved as exhibited by landmark achievements of the incumbent governor.“This honourable house is irrevocably committed from inception and up till now to our leader, Governor Fayose, this will remain forever without apology to anyone,” he stated.Other lawmakers; Deputy Speaker, Sina Animasaun, representing Ekiti South West II, Leader of Business, Hon Tinji Akinyele, Oye II, Hon. Dayo Akinleye, Ijero constituency, Hon Cecilia Dada, Ilejemeje constituency and Mr. Tope Fasanmi, Ado II, in their contributions warned the federal government against rigging the poll.They said contemplating such action may end up truncating democracy and create an atmosphere of anarchy that could lead to a crisis in the state