Hon Akeem Olaoye Remains Impeached– Parliamentarians Insist

By Our Reporter

There seems to be no end in sight on the controversial impeachment of the Chairman of Osogbo-South Local Council Development Area, Hon Akeem Olaoye by parliamentarians in the council.

The parliamentarians have insisted that Olaoye’s impeachment remained valid, disregarding the statement of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon Timothy Owoeye who had earlier today reversed impeachment.

According to the parliamentarians in a press statement obtained by CityMirrorNews this evening, Owoeye’s statement was a personal opinion, insisting that Olaoye’s impeachment has not been upturned.

The parliamentarians had at the council’s meeting passed a resolution for the impeachment of Olaoye, for alleged financial misappropriation, misuse of power and abuse of office.

A copy of the impeachment letter was sent to the House of Assembly for notification and ratification by the parliamentarians.

But Owoeye in statement said the house has reversed the impeachment just as he warned the parliamentarians in all the local governments and LCDAs against arbitrary impeachment of their chairmen.

Responding to the statement the parliamentarians said Olaoye’s impeachment has not been invalidated by anybody or authority.

The press statement was signed by the Council Leader, Hon Badmus Akeem Olaiya, Council Deputy Leader, Hon Bolanle Jimoh Ademuyiwa, Vice Chairman, Hon Olawale Waheed Olayemi and the Supervisor for Works, Hon. Yinusa Muideen Ademola.

It reads: “ We are compelled to respond to a purported statement made by our revered and respected Speaker of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Rt Honourable Timothy Owoeye on the impeachment of Hon Akeem Olaoye (former) Chairman, Osogbo-South Local Council Development Authority.

“We are not sure that the statement credited to our leader and honourable Speaker emanated from him, as we are confident that he knows the position of the law on the administration of local government and LCDA in the state.

“We like to address Hon Akeem Olaoye as a former Chairman because his impeachment is not only legal and just but has not been invalidated by anybody or authority.

“The Parliamentarians in the Osogbo South LCDA will like to state, with due respect to every concerned authority that, we are empowered by the Standing Orders and Rules of the Council of the Local Government Area, Local Council Development Area, state of Osun to sanction ‘anyone of us’ (the chairman inclusive) found wanton on misconduct. The sanction as stated by Section 53 of the Standing Orders and Rules include: reprimand or admonition, withdrawal of council privileges, removal or demotion from position of responsibility and suspension from the council for a definite period.

“In line with the above, we state with every sense of responsibility that by law, we can and we have carried out a legislative duty on the impeachment of Honourable Akeem Olaoye as the chairman of our LCDA.

“We will not want to engage anybody, and we are not engaging anybody but setting the record straight and perhaps guiding against misrepresentation of facts, point of law and usurpation of legislative duty by every concerned authority.

“The impeachment of Honourable Akeem Olaoye followed a due process and it is binding on him. In a clear term, Honourable Akeem Olaoye remained impeached in conformity with our resolution reached at the council’s meeting today, 24th of December, 2019.

“We refer every concerned authority to Part X, Section 39, sub C of the Standing Rules and Orders which states: “If he or she (councilor) is removed from office by a resolution of the council by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of the members of the Council; and such resolution must be forwarded to the State House of Assembly within seven (7) days for ratification.

“Without prejudice to the above section, no single individual could ratify or upturn the resolution of the council. The power to do so is vested in the House of Assembly.
“The statement credited to Mr Speaker is a personal opinion and does not in any way reflect the position of the House of Assembly. Therefore, the impeachment of Honourable Akeem Olaoye is still valid.”