The Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Dare Kadiri, has described his purported removal from office by his colleagues as unconstitutional.
He said this while reacting to news of his removal by fellow lawmakers, who found him guilty of a charge of gross misconduct during plenary, on Thursday.
Kadiri said, “The development, to say the least, was grossly unconstitutional and illegal. However, I have initiated consultation with my lawyers to fashion out the best way possible to address this infraction.
“I urge my teeming supporters, constituents and members of my political party in Ijebu North II State Constituency, to remain calm as the issues that threw up this unwarranted action are sorted.
“In whatever capacity I find myself now, or in the future, I remain committed to the ideals of a functional legislature, tenets of democracy and good governance.”
Earlier, the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, who announced Kediri’s impeachment, explained that Kadiri’s removal was sequel to a motion for his impeachment, which was supported by 19 lawmakers out of the 26-member Assembly.
Oluomo had set up an ad hoc committee to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the former deputy speaker on Tuesday. The committee was given 72 hours within which to submit a report.
The Chairman of the ad hoc committee and the Majority Leader of the House, Yusuf Sheriff, while presenting the report, said the committee recommended Kadiri’s impeachment.
The member representing Ijebu-North East, Abayomi Fasuwa, thereafter moved a motion for the adoption of the committee report and its recommendations.
The motion was seconded by his Ijebu-Ode counterpart, Kemi Oduwole, and supported by 17 other lawmakers.
The speaker then announced that based on the Standing Orders of the State House of Assembly, no principal officer of the Assembly shall be removed via voice vote. As such, the signatures of the 19 members, who endorsed the report, would suffice.
The Clerk of the House was then called upon to read out the names of the 19 signatories after which the speaker announced the removal of his deputy before hitting the gavel.
