Impeachment: Our Signatures Were Forged, Say Ondo Lawmakers

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

Following the purported impeachment of the Ondo state House of Assembly Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun and his Deputy Ogundeji Iroju last Friday by the honourable members of the house, two lawmakers whose names were included in the impeachment noticed has said their signatures were forged.

The lawmakers, Hon. Sunday Olajide representing Akure South Constituency 2 and Hon. Olusola Oluyede representing Ose constituency on Monday at the plenary sitting said they were not part of the attempted impeachment, adding that they were shock to find their names and signatures on the notice.

It would be recalled that eighteen names and signatures of honourable members were published in the national dailies on Sunday, 11th November, 2018.

But at the plenary which was presided over by the embattled Speaker, Oleyelogun however called on the security operatives in the state to spring into action to investigate and prosecute Hon. Olamide George led honourable members for forgery.

Addressing journalists after the plenary, the embattled Deputy Speaker, Ogundeji Iroju said, “At the plenary today, the purported impeachment that was carried out by some members on the 9th, November last week Friday we discovered on Sunday 11th in the Nation Newspaper it was clearly stated that two of our members, Sunday Olajide and Oluyede Olusola that were part of the purported impeachment signature, they were at the sitting now said that their signatures were forged.

“To impeach any principal officer, Speaker and Deputy speaker the constitution has lay down the rules which must be followed strictly. We are 26 honourable members and for any principal of the house of Assembly to be impeached, the two-third must be complete and sign the impeachment paper before such impeachment would be carried out. So out of that 18 members that signed the impeachment paper two of them have said now that their signatures were forged. That means the two-third have not been fulfilled as that regards.

“In view of this, the house led by the Rt. Hon Oleyelogun has taken the decision on it to call on the security agents to probe that purported signatures and names so that those involved in that forgery will quickly brought to book and questioning.

“Also the house today sat on the 2018 appropriation bill which was sent to the house by the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu for amendment. It has passed through the first and second reading and it has been sent to the appropriate committee for scrutiny this is what we have done today at the plenary.

“This is to tell the whole world that the Speaker Oleyelogun still remains the Speaker and I Ogundeji Iroju still remain as the Deputy Speaker of the house, the purported impeachment was not inline with the constitution”.

The names of honourable members at the plenary include, the embattled Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun, Ogundeji Iroju, Felemu Bankole, Sunday Olajide, Abayomi Akinruntan, Jamiu Maito, Oluyede Olusola, Kuti Tuwase and Kazeem Sulaiman.