The Ogun State House of Assembly presided by Speaker Suraju Ishola Adekunbi on Friday passed a bill and three resolutions nullifying all appointments, employment and financial agreements undertaken by the immediate past governor Ibikunle Amosun in the twilight of his administration.
The resolutions suspended all traditional rulers – about 75 of them, who were appointed and promoted from February, 2019 till May 28, 2019 some hours to the exit of Amosun.
The resolution also affects all appointments in respect of an alleged unqualified Permanent Secretaries and employment of 1000 people into the state workforce which were carried out by Amosun on the eve of his departure.
All statutory Boards appointments were also affected.
The Ogun Assembly in its resolution also directed the new administration to dissolve all Local Government Council and Local Council Development Areas’ political functionaries to allow for investigation into allegations of gross misconduct and misappropriation of public funds levelled against them.
The Assembly directed that the Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas Chairmen and House Leaders hand over the affairs of the Councils to the Head of Local Government Administration(HOLGA) and appear before the Assembly on the 7th of June, 2019.
The passage of the bill titled H. B 047/OG/2019- “Nullification of Irregularities (Amendment) Law, 2019” during plenary presided followed the suspension of the Assembly’s standing orders 45 -48 to allow for the consecutive second and third readings of the bill.
The motion for the third reading of the bill was moved by the new Majority Leader, Olusola Sonuga, seconded by Olawale Alausa and supported and voted for by the whole House through a voice vote at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, after first reading by the Deputy Clerk, Mr Deji Adeyemo and extensive debate on it by members of the Assembly during its second reading.
The Deputy Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo at the opening debate, recalled that the bill was an amendment to the one earlier passed by the Assembly at the inception of Senator Ibikunle’s government to reverse all irregularities especially on employment of over 2, 000 workers purportedly appointed by his predecessor (Gbenga Daniel) few months to the expiration of his tenure in 2011.
In their separate submissions, members including the Deputy Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, Honourables Akinpelu Aina, Olusola Bankole, Olusola Sonuga and Adebowale Ojuri, were in agreement that the last minute appointments, upgrading and employment by Amosun’s administration did not follow due process, lacked merit, not in good faith and was lopsided.
They equally submitted that all financial transactions with any financial institution done by the administration not approved through the House of Assembly resolution should not be honoured by the current government.
The Clerk; Adeyemo, afterwards did the third reading of the bill, while Speaker Adekunbi directed that the clean copy of it should be forwarded to the new Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for his assent.
The Assembly Speaker, Rt Hon Suraju Ishola Adekunbi, also announced the appointment of Hon. Olusola Sonuga as its new Majority Leader, after due consultation with members of the majority party.
In their remarks, Honourables Akinpelu Aina, Viwanu Ojo, Olawale Alausa, Israel Jolaoso, Rasaq Oduntan and Adebiyi Adeleye citing instances of the irregularities, reported that there were series of complaints on the promotion and appointments of new monarchs, saying that the traditional institutions and relevant stakeholders were not consulted.
The Deputy Speaker, Kunle Oluomo, told The Nation that the House did not sack the affected individuals but only suspended them to enable the new administration review and look into the areas that did not follow due process.
Oluomo added that the suspension would also allow the House to investigate petitions before it in respect of the Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas functionaries.
