The new Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Emmanuel Soyemi Coker, on Tuesday, justified the action taken by nine members of the House in suspending the erstwhile speaker, Mr Tunji Egbetokun, and 14 other members over allegation of gross misconduct.

Coker disclosed during his visit to the state party secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that their action was constitutional and legal, saying it was in conformity with section 15 (1) of the House Rules.

The speaker was received by the state secretary of PDP, Chief Pegba Otemolu, and other party stalwarts, expressing readiness to work with all other arms of the government in moving the state forward.

The speaker, accompanied by other principal officers of the House, said the process was not impeachment but suspension, which was done in the interest of Ogun people.

“What we did was legal, absolutely legal. In our House Rules, we formed a quorum and that quorum of nine members sat in the hallowed chamber of the House to take that vital decision. We invited them but they did not come because the matter of this state was not paramount to them, because they did not believe that we had the confidence to actually go there and do what we wanted to do.

“We have to take a decision which is in the best interest of the people of this state. We cannot continue to be in a position where some people will be holding us into ransom and that cannot be,” he added.

On the allegation that they broke into some offices, Coker said that they had access to the House like other members, saying that they did not in anyway sleep overnight as claimed by the suspended members.