Ekiti Assembly suspends member indefinitely

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has suspended indefinitely its member representing Ikole Local Government Constituency 1, Gboyega Aribisogan, saying: “He has brought the institution to disrepute by his utterances and activities of late, acts unbecoming of an honourable member of House of Assembly.”

In the resolution signed by all members of the House, including the Speaker, Hon. Kola Oluwawole, the lawmaker, who is currently on suspension from legislative activities based on alleged acts amounting to gross misconducts and dereliction of duties, was barred from moving within 1km radius of the House of Assembly Complex till further notice.

The Chairman House Committee on Information, Dr. Samuel Omotoso, who briefed journalists after the House sitting on Tuesday, disclosed: “On 15th of June, 2017, the House unanimously reaffirmed the 180 days suspension of Hon Aribisogan and also mandated the Speaker to set up a committee to invite and investigate his recent acts of gangsters and hooliganism, which was seen as unbecoming of an honourable member of the House of Assembly.”

Omotoso said the committee had concluded its assignment and “the report was presented today at plenary by the Chairman, Hon. Dele Fajemilehin, and has since been adopted as a document of this House”.

Omotoso said that the House resolved that: “Aribisogan is hereby directed not to work or act as a legislator nor receive salaries or allowances during the period of his suspension.

“Aribisogan is hereby disallowed from holding any position of responsibility for the span of the current 5th Assembly, the Sergeant at Arms, who is the Chief Security Officer of the House, is hereby directed to take responsibilities in line with the standing orders of the EKHA, the authority of the House of Assembly is hereby proclaimed as greater than any individual and that the House will apply these actions against Hon Aribisogan in line with the standing orders and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as exercised in punitive measures against Hon Abdulmumin Jubrin and Senator Ali Ndume by our senior colleagues at the National Assembly in Abuja.”

While giving more reasons for Aribisogan’s indefinite suspension, Omotoso said he (Aribisogan) invaded the House with thugs on June 8, 2017, leading to chaos, disorder, confusion, pandemonium and mayhem within and outside the premises of the House.

He added: “All efforts to restore calm by the Sergeant at Arms, who is the Chief Security Officer of the House, was resisted for hours by Hon Aribisogan and his gang until normalcy eventually prevailed after he forcefully submitted a letter of resumption to the office of the Clerk.

“The management of the EKHA replied his letter, advising him that his suspension for 180 Legislative days ends on August 17th 2017, citing Hon Jubrin’s precedent at the National Assembly which occurred weeks before his suspension.

“Since June 8th 2017, Hon Aribisogan ignored all entreaties to be of good behaviour and has consistently embarked on threats to lives of honourable members, campaign of calumny, vicious and libellous media attacks, disparagement of the integrity of this hallowed institution, acts unbecoming of a distinguished honourable member of the EKHA.

“These attacks and threat to the lives of other members has made the Right Honourable Speaker to write two separate petitions against Hon Aribisogan to the office of the Inspector General of Police.”