The embattled Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Omirin, and the state Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, on Tuesday met at the police command headquarters and resolved to ensure peaceful resolution of the crisis rocking the assembly.
Omirin also promised to support Governor Ayo Fayose’s government, adding that the assembly headed by him had no plan to impeach the governor as being insinuated.
Omirin is heading the 19 lawmakers on the platform of the All Progressives Congress and had since stayed away from the state since the inauguration of Fayose.
The new Speaker, Hon. Dele Olugbemi, has been presiding over the affairs of the Assembly with seven other members elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
To start the reconciliation process, Omirin, who visited Lakanu, assured the police boss that his members would not foment trouble or make inflammatory comments that could ignite crisis in the state.
Speaking with newsmen after emerging from Lakanu’s office, Omirin also dispelled the news that he narrowly escaped assassination attack on Monday night.
He described the news, which emanated from a press statement by his spokesman, Wole Olujobi, as baseless and unfounded.
Omirin promised that he and the 18 other lawmakers elected on the platform of the APC would resume at the assembly as soon as the coast is clear.
Omirin added that he had started speaking with security agencies, traditional rulers and prominent indigenes of the state on the need to reconcile the feuding groups in the overall interest of the development of the state.
Omirin said: “I am a man of peace.
“I have always been assuring Governor Ayodele Fayose of my cooperation and that there was nothing like impeachment plan against him.
“As far as I am concerned, we are not in Ekiti to foment trouble.
“We are ready to partner Governor Fayose to move the state forward.
“He should not see us as enemies.
“We are ready to resume to duty as soon as the process is completed and we feel the coast is clear.”
Speaking on the assassination attempt on him, Omirin said: “Some people said they saw some strange faces around my house on Monday and I think that accounted for the rumour.
“But I want to say there was nothing like that.”
Lakanu said the command received a call from Omirin at 11pm on Monday that he was in the state and he had to lead a team of policemen to his private house to give him protection and assure him that his life and other colleagues are safe.
The CP commended Omirin for visiting the command to reassure him that nothing would be done from him to undermine the security of the state pending the time normalcy would return to the assembly.
Lakanu urged the APC lawmakers to shun provocative comments to further foster unity and peace in the state.
Lakanu said: “Omirin has even assured us in writing that he won’t make inciting statement and that he will embrace peace.
“As police officers, we will not do anything that can cast doubt on our integrity.
“We never had the intention of arresting the APC lawmakers.
“Ekiti is greater than everybody and we have to do what we think is just and fair to everybody.
“We are pleased that Omirin had assured us that other lawmakers will visit the command as part of the efforts to lay this crisis to rest.
“We cannot arrest any APC lawmaker contrary to rumour in town because they have not committed any offence to warrant such.”
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