Ekiti Assembly Crisis: My Case Still In Court – Aribisogan …… Vows Not To Withdraw Suit Against Impeachment

Credit: Tribune 

Following the reported impeachment of Honourable Gboyega Aribisogan as the  Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, he has said he would not withdraw the already filed suit in the court against the entire process.

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The Assembly has been embroiled in crisis over the impeachment of Aribisogan, who was elected Speaker on November 15, and the consequent election of Olubunmi Adelugba as Speaker by some lawmakers on November 21.

Apart from impeachment, the Adelugba-led Assembly suspended Aribisogan indefinitely and as well suspended seven members loyal to him.

Aribisogan who spoke on Tuesday during an interview on Adaba FM and monitored by Nigerian Tribune in Ado-Ekiti, explained that he was not compelled nor mandated by the traditional rulers during a meeting with them on Monday to end the case, adding that he had mandated his lawyers to continue the case.

According to him, the process of his impeachment, which he declared illegal would be left to the court to adjudicate upon in the interest of the constitution of the country and his future political aspirations.

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He said, “An election has taken place and a winner emerged, but the winner was not allowed to take his place as the speaker. With the kind of irresponsibility which went with the so-called impeachment, no right-thinking person will allow the state to go into crisis. What the legal icons have done is commendable in saying that the unconstitutional act should not be allowed”.

“If there is anything that is threatening them, that means what they have done is the one threatening them. We were together on Monday at the meeting of the Ekiti Obas and they embraced me, pleading that I should allow everything to slide, if I am threatening them, will they come near me?

“We are talking about the constitution of the country and if the party is violating it, I won’t accept it and I have told them I won’t be part of constitution breach, and let me say that at the appropriate time, the court will vindicate me. I am 60-year-old, I have children looking up to me and they will ask me questions.

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“Like I have said to them, the number of people by my side does not matter again, even if it is 25 of them against only me, I am not going to back down regardless of whoever might be talking of resolution or perhaps reconciliation. We are reconciling and we are not fighting and it is on principle that some of us have stood on the side of justice and truth”.

“What former governor is doing now will affect our party at the polls because you can’t claim to be a democrat and be autocratic in doing things, some of us will not stomach it. When people are saying he helped me, I even helped him too, that is the fact in politics, politicians help themselves”.

“The revered traditional rulers never compelled me to withdraw my suit in court, they only advise and they appealed to me. I said to them that I won’t allow them to hang the impeachment on me, which will not allow me to contest again in the future”.

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“For emphasis, the case is in court and I have told my lawyers led by prominent practitioners from Ekiti State that I am not withdrawing, there is nothing that will make me withdraw the case. I want Ekiti people to be calm in the face of this unwarranted crisis being perpetrated by the former governor, that they should wait and allow the court to do justice”. 

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