Councillors protest suspension from office by Ogun Assembly

THE entrance into the Ogun State House of Assembly, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, was on Thursday, blocked by councillors from the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas of the State, to protest their suspension from office by the Assembly.

Tribune Online recalls that the Assembly last Friday suspended all political functionaries in all local government councils and local council development areas.

The councillors barricaded the Assembly complex as early as 8:00 am to prevent staff and lawmakers into the premises.

Armed with placards with inscriptions such as  ‘The lawmakers are the lawbreakers’, ‘Respect Supreme Court on local government tenure’, ‘OGHA led by Rt. Hon Suraj Adekunbi, don’t rubbish Dapo Abiodun’s administration through your selfishness’, amongst others, said they were disturbed by the position of the Assembly at a time the issue of local government autonomy is being addressed.

The leader of the protesters, Azeez Oloyede from Abeokuta South East Local Council Development Area, said they were yet to receive any correspondence on the allegation of financial misappropriation levelled against them from the Assembly.

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He said: “We heard the rumour that we are suspended, why is it that when the issue of local government autonomy is being addressed is when you’re suspending us from office?

“Till this moment there’s no allegation against us and before we can be suspended is there any allegation against us? Not at all. We don’t even believe that because up till now, we have not received any letter to that effect and when we get to our various offices, we are being harassed by local government workers and career officers.

“As far as we are concerned, there’s nothing like suspension. What is our offence that warrants this kind of rumour that we, the legislators and Chairmen, are suspended?”

Addressing the protesters, the Speaker, Hon Suraj Adekunbi said the Assembly acted within its power, asking them to await communication from the executive arm.

Adekunbi said the Assembly had received lots of petitions against how local governments were being administered in the state and that he had brought same unofficially to the notice of the Chairmen.

The Speaker argued that the suspension order was thoroughly debated by his colleagues before a decision was arrived at.

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama and the Brigade Commander, 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Olaniyi Olatunde, met with the Speaker on the development.