Controversy in Oyo Assembly as lawmakers declare Education Commissioner unfit for office

THE Oyo House of Assembly has passed a vote of no confidence on State Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela over insubordination and arrogance in the face of the Assembly.

This decision was preceded by drama when Olowofela appeared at Thursday’s plenary to answer alleged halving of the money meant for federal government’s school feeding programme in the state by the State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology before it is sent to individual food vendors.

The Assembly had also fingered Olowofela for withdrawing money from the vendors’ accounts and supplying food items directly from Ibadan defeating the Federal government’s idea of home-grown feeding by an individual local government.

Olowofela in a prepared paper to the Assembly had advised the mover of the motion to carry out “elementary investigations, not statements that will mislead the citizenry and portend the Honourable House as being hasty in decision making.”

Speaking at plenary, Olowofela described the allegations as huge and devoid of an adequate investigation, wondering what the Assembly meant by anomalies when funds were released funds directly by the federal government to the vendors.

Angered by Olowofela’s position which they described as defiant and an affront, members like Honourable Olusegun Olaleye of Ibadan North II constituency, Honourable Gbenga Oyekola of Atiba constituency, Honourable Samson Oguntade of Egbeda constituency and Honourable Olusegun Ajanaku of Ibadan South West 2, in their different remarks, called on the executive to immediately sack Olowofela.

Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Micheal Adeyemo, however, brought the attention of members to the limitations of their powers to suspend or sack, though he noted that Olowofela’s display amounted to contempt of the Assembly.

Consequently, Deputy Speaker, Honourable Abdulwasi Musah seconded by Honourable Olukayode Solomon moved a motion for the vote of no confidence, accompanied by loud shouts of aye, on Olowofela.