Osun Assembly reinstates impeached council chief

The Osun State House of Assembly on Tuesday reinstated the impeached chairman of Osogbo South Local Council Development Authority (LCDA), Akeem Olaoye.

The lawmakers declared the impeachment process as null and void.

The House also ordered the council chairman to resume work and lifted the suspension slammed on the councilors in the LCDA.

The councilors in the LCDA had last month impeached the chairman over alleged gross misconduct and financial misappropriation.

The development led to the suspension of elected council officials by the House to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

However, the Speaker of the House, Timothy Owoeye, who received the report of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Judiciary Legal Matters, Public petitions and Human Rights at Tuesday’s plenary, ordered the feuding parties to return to their duties.

Read also: Crisis in Imo as suspended council chairmen clash with security agents

He said the councillors erred by refusing to follow the procedure of impeachment as contained in section 19 (a) (b) (c) and (d) of the State of Osun Local Government Areas (Creation and Administration) Law, 2015 for the removal of the Chairman.

He said: “The present resolution of the Assembly has not in any way vindicated the two parties and the earlier order asking them not to parade themselves within the precinct of the council was borne out of the need for peace to reign.

“The parliamentarians have the right to remove or suspend any of the members but the normal process stipulated by the law of the land must be followed appropriately.

“It should be on record that the position of the law on the process of impeachment is clear. Parliamentarians should get themselves used to the law, this Assembly can’t fold her arms and watch impunity thrive.

“The House of Assembly under my watch will not hesitate to do the needful on any chairman found wanting if the procedure is right.”

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