Impeachment: Ogun Lawmakers Go Into Hiding

By Bayo Alade and Yinka Olusanya - 17.05.2008

AS a result of the impeachment wind which swept through Ogun State House of Assembly on Thursday, removing both the Speaker, Mrs. Titi Oseni, and her deputy, members of the State House of Assembly have gone underground, apparently for fear of repraisal attacks.

Saturday Tribune investigation revealed that the impeachment of the Speaker was actually targeted at the state governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, in order to weaken his hold on the House of Assembly.

The removed Speaker,Honourable Titi Oseni, is largely seen as governor Daniel’s ally. Saturday Tribune also learnt that the lawmakers merely bidded their time till both the governor and Speaker were absent from the state. The opportunity presented itself this week when both Governor Daniel and the Speaker were away outside the country and Abuja respectively.

Saturday Tribune also gathered that a former deputy Speaker was deeply involved in the plot in order to curb the perceived neglect of the lawmakers. Another angle to the impeachment saga, Saturday Tribune learnt is the issue of money. The lawmakers had allegedly asked the governor for an increase in their constituency allowance from N10 million in order to bring it at par with that of Oyo lawmakers which was N20 million.

This, our source said, was without regard to the fact that Ogun does not have the resources of Oyo State especially in terms of the windfall which Oyo State recently got from the federal governmewnt.

Efforts to get across to the lawmakers in view of their absence from their official residences was also abortive as their phone lines could not be connected. Visitors to the legislative chambers were turned back by security men yesterday.

Meanwhile, the removed Speaker, Titi Oseni, was said to have returned to Abeokuta from Abuja on Thursday and declared that she was still the Speaker while calling on indigenes of the state to remain calm.

She added that the sitting of the House without her was null and void, therefore, the removal was illegal. Both Oseni and her deputy, Honourable Ayo Odugbesan, were removed on Thursday. Unconfirmed report said one of the lawmakers had his residence torched.