A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ojo Oyetunde, representing Ekiti Central Constituency 11, Ekiti State, has said that there is no plan by the National Assembly to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan.
Ojo said members of the House, who recently signed the President’s impeachment notice, did so in “temporary anger”.
Oyetunde, who emerged as a consensus candidate for the Ekiti Central 11 Federal Constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress during the party’s primaries on Sunday, told newsmen in Aramoko-Ekiti that his colleagues had signed Jonathan’s impeachment notice “because they were furious with the harassment from security operatives at the gate of the Green Chamber that day”.
He said: “To be honest with you, although we were recalled to the House that day because of the emergency situation in the North East, we have only sat once since the recess.
“The impeachment notice was signed in anger by us.
“You remember that we were tear-gassed that day, both members of the two Houses.
“The issue has gone beyond the House only.
“It now concerns about the survival of our democracy.
“The impeachment notice was signed by members.
“We will look into it.
“But to the best of my knowledge, I do not think there is a serious level of impeachment of the President now until we resume at the House and hold next session.”
The federal lawmaker and son-in-law to APC leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also expressed gratitude to his people in Ekiti Central 11, comprising Ekiti West, Ijero and Efon Local Government Areas, for choosing him as their sole candidate, saying their decision is in recognition of his landmark achievements during the first four years.
Oyetunde said: “Emerging as an unopposed candidate is a thing of joy and it shows that the people have confidence in me.
“The mandate belongs to the people and they have unanimously chosen me to represent them again.”
Oyetunde, who is currently the Chairman of the House Committee on Communication, expressed the hope that in spite of becoming an opposition in the state, his party was ready to win more seats than the ruling party.
He said: “We are also hopeful that we will emerge victorious in the general elections.
“We are making adequate preparation towards the elections and our strength is in laudable performance we have achieved in our constituencies.
“The question we should ask the contestants from the opposition is what has any of them been able to do for our people?
“This is where we remain most relevant.
“Our people are no longer fools.
“They have come to realize that quality representation deserves continuity.
“As state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has performed very well.
“If that was the true will of the people, well, we accept it.
“We have learnt from our mistakes and are ready to do better in future elections.”
Meanwhile, Hon. Duro Faseyi; a former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Olujimi; and Rasaki have emerged as senatorial candidates of the PDP in the coming National Assembly elections for Ekiti North, Ekiti South and Ekiti Central respectively.
Also, Segun Adekola – Ekiti South 1; Akin Awodumila – Ekiti South 2; Ayodeji Oladimeji – Ekiti Central 1; Olamide J. Oni (Oni Atiba) – Ekiti Central 2; Kehinde Agboola – Ekiti North 1; and Thaddeous Aina – Ekiti North, have emerged as the PDP candidates for the House of Representatives election slated for February 14.
However, one of the contestants for the PDP ticket for Northern senatorial district, Senator Ayo Arise, said he was shortchanged by Governor Ayo Fayose.
According to Arise, the exercise had been rigged from the time delegates’ lists were drawn up, which he said he protested, alleging that the panel set up by the party did not listen to him.
Arise, who scored 56 votes in the poll, further alleged that the governor camped all the delegates for the primary election at the Government House since Friday toSunday morning, thereby denying other aspirants, apart from Faseyi, assess to them.
In his reaction, Faseyi applauded the poll, saying nobody is a loser among all the aspirants that ran with him at the primary election in the northern district.
Faseyi called on other aspirants to join hands with him at the general election to succeed.
Faseyi, a former House of Representatives member, described the contest as a healthy, credible, fair, transparent and interesting one.