Impeached Ogun deputy speaker heads for court

Ogun State House of Assembly, yesterday, impeached the Deputy Speaker, Oludare Kadiri, over alleged gross misconduct.

Kadiri’s impeachment was announced by the Speaker of the House, Olakunle Oluomo who presided over the sitting.

But Kadiri has described his removal as “grossly unconstitutional and illegal” promising to challenge it in court.

The House had constituted an ad-hoc committee to investigate allegations against Kadiri after 20 out of the 26 members had signed a notice, seeking his removal from office.

Kadiri had clashed with some leaders of the party over allegation of violent conduct during the membership registration and revalidation exercise of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

It was alleged that Kadiri had led suspected hoodlums to invade and vandalise the residence of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tokunbo Talabi, in Oru-Ijebu, Ijebu North Local Government Area of the State and that of a former state legislator, Adebiyi Odugbesan.

Kadiri was reported to have accused the SSG and Adegbesan of hoarding the registration materials meant for APC registration and revalidation exercise in the state.

The police invited warring parties from Ijebu North Local Government but detained the Deputy Speaker between last Friday and Saturday morning before he was released on self-recognition.

Yesterday the Ad Hoc Committee headed by Majority Leader, Yusuf Sherif, submitted its report on the probe at the plenary. It was gathered that 19 lawmakers supported the motion for impeachment having found him “guilty” of the allegations.

Said Kadiri in a response to the impeachment: “The development, to say the least, was grossly unconstitutional and illegal. However, I have initiated consultation with my lawyers to fashion out the best possible way to address this infraction.”