Speakership tussle: Police foil attempted arson on Ekiti Assembly complex

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2 years ago

The crisis rocking the Ekiti State House of Assembly as a result of the election of a new speaker took a frightening dimension on Friday following attempts by hoodlums to burn down the legislative complex.

The emergence of Gboyega Aribisogan from Ikole constituency 1 as the new speaker of the house on Tuesday to succeed the late Funminiyi Afuye has thrown the house into crisis, which many traced to the defeat of Bunmi Adelugba (Emure constituency) who was believed to be the preferred choice of the former governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and some All Progressives Congress leaders for the speakership seat.

While Aribisogan scored 15 votes, his challenger Adelugba polled 10 votes at the election conducted by the clerk of the house, Tola Esan at the plenary.

According to a source, the aggrieved lawmakers and party stakeholders might have concluded plans to truncate the moves by the new speaker to preside over plenary in the Assembly.

On Wednesday, there was apprehension which led to the shutting down of the complex by police as a result of the alleged intelligence report about an impending attack on the complex.

It was gathered that the hoodlums stormed the complex around 4am on Friday with dangerous weapons and containers containing petrol and made spirited efforts to set the building on fire before they were intercepted by security operatives manning the complex.

Speaking on the alleged arson attack with Saturday Tribune, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Sunday Abutu, confirmed the attempted attack.

Abutu revealed that the hoodlums, numbering 10, carrying two 25-litre kegs of petroleum, had allegedly invaded the assembly around 4am and made efforts to set it ablaze.

He said the men and officers of the command’s Rapid Response Squad , who were on ground and strategically positioned, repelled them, and gave the hoodlums a hot chase into the nearby bush.

Abutu said: “I can confirm to you that these hoodlums carrying two kegs filled with petrol and also armed with cutlasses and other weapons came to burn down the assembly at the wee hours of today (Friday).

“The intention they had was that police had left the place because our patrol vehicles had been withdrawn from the two gates. They thought the place was no longer under security cover. They came through a section of the complex, but they resisted.

“The operatives of the RRS gave them a hot chase into the bush and recovered two kegs filled with petrol from them, among other dangerous exhibits.

“We want to warn our people not to turn the assembly into a theatre of war. It is an arm of government that must be respected. They called it hallowed chambers, so people should desist from creating an unnecessary crisis.

“Let me also said that our men and officers are on the ground to repel any dangerous moves being made by mischief makers to spark up trouble in any part of the state.”

Abutu added that the police haven’t arrested anyone in connection with the attempted arson attack, but revealed that they are on their trail.

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