Barring intervention or plea from high quarters, the new Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke , who was just sworn into office as the 6th democratically elected governor less than 48 hours ago, may be impeached by the next few days.
The All Progressives Congress, APC which is in the majority in the House from the election held on March 9, 2019 is piqued by the governor’s unrestrained attitude to governance.
The House has 26 seats. APC won 24 while the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, which now controls the executive won only two.
Problems started when after swearing in on Sunday, November 27, Governor Ademola Adeleke decided to rename the state from “State of Osun” to Osun State.
He also sacked about 1, 200 workers as well as some traditional rulers.
Adeleke reversed all appointments made by the immediate past governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, effective from July 7, 2022.
He ordered that all government bank accounts be frozen, adding that all actions of the Oyetola-led administration from July 17 will be revisited.
All these did not go down well with the Assembly members who on Monday, frowned on some of these decisions of the newly inaugurated governor, arguing, specifically, that the anthem, crest and flag of the state was an enactment of a law assented to on December 18, 2012, and no person can exact force to change it.
In a reaction to the governor’s decision, the House, through the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Moshood Kunle Akande, wrote a press statement dated Monday, November 28, 2022, to disapprove the action.
It partly reads, “The State of Osun House of Assembly having reviewed the Inaugural Speech of the Governor and the activities of the inauguration hereby resolves as follows;
“The usage of the State Anthem, Crest and Flag is an enactment of the law and as such, its usage is a matter of law and not choice.
“The enactment ‘State of Osun Anthem, Crest and Flag Law, 2012’ assented to on December 18, 2012, contained in Schedule 1, II, III, IV and V, which carefully details every component of this law is not in ambiguity.
“Schedule I is the State Anthem, Schedule II has to do with the State Crest, and Schedule III is the symbolic significance of the elements in the Flag.
“Lastly, while we are aware of a court judgment in effect recognising ‘Osun State’, the Assembly, pending the determination and exhaustion of all legal means would not be drawn into this matter.”
The lawmakers further said that the state will continue to be described as the “State of Osun” and “Ipinle Omulabi” (State of the Virtuous).
Speaking exclusively to journalist on Monday evening, a Lagos based APC top member disclosed that “Impeachment of the governor has been settled.
He said he played into our hands. We will not even wait for court to remove him. The House has been instructed to do the needful,” he stated.
Further, the party stalwart stated that“What may delay the impeachment is the provision in law that gives room for the governor to defend himself.
That is a window of saviour for him to quickly net work for the necessary interventions.
“Otherwise, the State Assembly has been instructed to commence the process of impeachment against him and get rid of him within the next 24 hours.”
“But first, notice of allegation, about gross misconduct signed by two -third members of the house and presented to the speaker must be served on the governor.
“Then the governor has a right to defend himself and there is time for that. That is part of the impeachment process.
However, though the impeachment cannot be challenged but the process leading to the impeachment can be challenged in court by the governor.
That is the only window of delay. Adeleke may not survive the battle he has started except he retraces his steps,” he said.
