The Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers on Monday intervened in the impeachment crisis rocking the state House of Assembly with a view to finding peaceful resolution.
The Assembly has been embroiled in a crisis over the impeachment of Gboyega Aribisogan by some lawmakers on November 21 and the consequent election of Olubunmi Adelugba as speaker.
Apart from impeachment, the Adelugba-led Assembly suspended Aribisogan and seven members loyal to him.
The traditional council led by its chairman, Oba Gabriel Adejuwon, who is the Onisan of Isan Ekiti, at a meeting with the two sides in the Assembly crisis with Adelugba and Aribisogan in attendance and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Ado Ekiti, sought amicable resolution of the crisis.
The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers, recalled how the state was created and appealed to the lawmakers to give peace a chance.
The traditional rulers urged Aribisogan to withdraw the suit he filed to contest his impeachment, while asking the Adelugba-led faction to re-absorb the suspended lawmakers.
A source at the meeting said, “The position of the traditional rulers was based on the fact that since APC had earlier preferred Adelugba, who now had about 18 of the 25 members on her side, Aribisogan should give peace a chance by withdrawing his case.”
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity Committee, Adeoye Aribasoye, said, “We (lawmakers) will go back to the drawing board and resolve amicably among ourselves.”
The APC Vice Chairman in Ekiti State, Sola Elesin, who lauded the traditional rulers, assured that “the party will ensure that peace is restored to the House of Assembly.”
Also in a chat, Aribisogan, who praised the monarchs for their intervention, said, “We were at a meeting with the obas today (Monday). They appealed to me that in the interest of peace, I should withdraw the case in court so that the matter can be resolved amicably.”
