The suspended Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Honourable Jumoke Akindele has reacted to her purported impeachment by some members of the
The suspended Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Honourable Jumoke Akindele has reacted to her purported impeachment by some members of the Assembly on allegations of corruption. She said that the aggrieved members could not have removed her from office as the allegation of fraud levelled against her had not been proven to be true. She denied the allegation of fraud by her leadership, saying it was all politics as the cash was not found on her or any member of the House but on the paymasters who is the custodian of monies belonging to the Assembly. She called on her colleagues to quickly retrace their steps.
Akindele of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and a representing Okitipupa 2, had been suspended from office on Friday evening over allegation of N15 million fraud and her refusal to carry her colleagues along, during an emergency Plenary at the assembly complex in Akure. The suspension process was executed by 14 lawmakers, including five All Progressives Congress (APC) and nine PDP members. Mr Bode Adeyelu, the Clerk and the mace were present during the session.
The crisis in the Ondo State House of Assembly started when a sum of 15 million Naira was discovered with the Paymaster of the House by some members at the premises of the House chamber. During interrogation, the Paymaster was said to have told them that he was acting on the directive of the leadership of the House. Members of the House who were aggrieved by this insisted it was unlawful and corrupt for the leadership of the House to withdraw such cash without the knowledge of the members. To this end, the aggrieved members suspended the speaker, Jumoke Akindele and two other principal officers; the Deputy Speaker, Fatai Olotu as well as the Majority Leader, Ifedayo Akinsoyinu.
An acting Speaker, Malachi Coker representing Ilaje Constituency 2 was elected, while Ayodeji Arowele, Owo Constituency 1, and Olamide George, Akure North Constituency were elected as Deputy Speaker and Majority Leader respectively.
