BY Mansur Ibrahim
The crisis rocking the Ondo state house of assembly assumed a new dimension on Monday, as Hilda Ibifuro-Harrison, the commissioner of police, ordered the sealing off of the assembly complex.
This followed the failure of the lawmakers to resolve the leadership crisis that led to the removal of Jumoke Akindele, the former speaker.
Pro-Akindele legislators and those opposed to her clashed at assembly complex on Monday.
Femi Joseph, spokesman of the Ondo police command, confirmed the development, saying the complex was shut in order to forestall breakdown of law and order.
“It became imperative for us to close down the assembly,” he said.
“When we got there this morning, everybody was allowed to go inside the complex in preparation for the day’s business.
“Lo and behold, they started fighting one another, and the matter was degenerating to a free-for-all. All efforts by the commissioner of police to settle the issue through dialogue was not successful.”
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged N15 million fraud in the assembly.
In a statement issued on Monday, Abayomi Adesanya, publicity secretary of the party in the state, commended members of the assembly for changing the leadership of house.
The sum of N15 million was allegedly found in the possession of the assembly pay master, Makanjuola Adesina, who allegedly told the lawmakers that it was withdrawn on the instruction of the speaker for a project which he failed to disclose.
Adesanya said the discovery was a confirmation of the party’s previous allegations that there was a “looting spree’’ in all the state ministries, departments and agencies.
“The removal of the speaker, Jumoke Akindele, and her deputy, Fatai Olu, on allegation of fraud is an attestation of Mimiko’s looting spree in all ministries, agencies and parastatals in the state in the last eight years,” the statement read.
“The party called on the EFCC to arrest the former speaker, former deputy speaker, and former majority leader, Ifedayo Akinsoyinu, for investigations over the alleged N15 million fraud and other financial recklessness in the assembly.
“The assembly has been a rubber stamp of anything goes, under the leadership of the former speaker.”
“It is noteworthy that the honourable members could summon courage this time around to question the leadership of the house, which seems untouchable, by the outright removal of the speaker and deputy.
“The former speaker has been of tremendous help to Olusegun Mimiko in plunging Ondo state into indebtedness to the tune of about N150 billion in loans without due process and commensurate achievements, but rather the money went into private pockets,’’ he said.
Adesanya charged the new leadership of the assembly to prevent the “looting of the state treasury by the outgoing government”.
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