… Says, he is being used
Like the saying goes, getting Rt. Hon. Gboyega Aribisogan, the impeached speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly for an interview on his ordeal with the House, is like getting an elephant to pass through the eye of the needle.
Aribisogan
newdawnngr had, days after his election and subsquent ouster, through its Deputy Editor, Charles Okogene, who was his colleague in the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc., in the 1990s sort an interview with him.
Rather than accept the request or decline, the former speaker kept mute . It took an interview with the Deputy Speaker of the house, Rt. Hon. Hakeem Jamiu, who described him as an ambitious person among other things for him to agree to be interviewed, though, through questionnaire .
Aribisogan
Below is the interview.
How it all started
I started my journalism career as a reporter with the Daily Times of Nigeria in the late 1980s.
Before I joined politics, I was a political reporter during my active years in journalism. I have been involved in community development as a young man. I had also read many books about politics, power and its uses. I was aware of the dynamics and the intrigues. I was driven by my passion to contribute to the socio- economic and political development of my environment. That was why I joined the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM) in 1997 and later the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999.
I contested for the House of Assembly seat as a member of PDP in 2011 and lost before I eventually made it to the Ekiti State House of Assembly in 2015. It was true that I had very close relationship with ex- governor Ayo Fayose.
As a matter of fact, I was one of his strong supporter and defenders because then, I believed in his capacity to deliver on promises. We parted ways when I discovered he was becoming too despotic and autocratic in his way of doing things. At a point, he was behaving as a demigod who cannot be challenged. Even as honourable members, he had no modicum of respect for anyone of us. He would talk down on us as if we were his slaves. He would not listen to any advice from us. He became so unruly to the extent that one day, he came to the floor of the House during the presentation of budget and used his own gavel to pass a budget. That day, I told a colleague that one day, the ex- governor will come with his own maze to the Assembly.
Aribisogan
That was the beginning of the crisis between me and ex- governor Fayose. There was no plan to impeach Fayose. There was no way a member could be so strong to solely impeach a sitting governor. I always disagree on principle. I don’t like people who are too bossy or autocratic. I don’t like to be gagged when things are not done rightly. I don’t want to be seen as a fool who can be toss around like a baby. Ex-governor Fayose knew I complained about his style of governance. I’m a non conformist when it comes to antidemocratic behaviour.
What eventually led to my leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the accusation levelled against me by ex-governor Fayose that I had a meeting with late Senator Buruji Kashamu in a bid to destabilise his government. Where as It was not true. He wanted to subdue, humiliate and assassinate me because I refused to prostrate for him.
I enjoyed the best relationship with late Rt. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, we worked together till his last hours of stay on earth. There was never any time that we both suspected each other of disloyalty. If I may say this, as the then leader of the House I was the closest to him. It is unfortunate that the deputy speaker Rt. Hon. Hakeem Jamiu can open his mouth to say that there was an impeachment move against late Rt. Hon. Afuye.
I think any reasonable man should not drag the name of noble man to the current show of shame being orchestrated by Hakeem Jamiu.
It is rather unfortunate that the Deputy Speaker Ekiti State House of Assembly, decided to expose himself as a man of perverse character. Every reasonable person in Ekiti know that Jamiu as usual, is only trying to massage the bruised ego of his master. If all he said about me in the interview was true, why did he wait till now before making it public.
The world know where I stand on the issue of violation of the rule of law, which took place in the hallowed chamber of Ekiti State on November 21, 2022.
I won’t allow anyone to distract me or turn the issue at stake to a personal fight. Rt. Hon Jamiu and his retinue of ignoramus have tried unsuccessfully to cover up the heinous crime they have committed against Ekiti people.
The whole world know that Jamiu was one of the ring leaders who perpetrated the legislative coup de tat that has put Ekiti state in a constitutional crisis.
Rather than for him and his sponsors to engage themselves in soul searching and forgiveness and redemption, he has resorted into name calling and personal attack.
I have decided to refrain from talking about him and his evil deeds for now because of the matter at hand .
At the appropriate time, the world will know more about Jamiu, the overtly sycophantic lapdog, boot licker, irrational hypocrite and the damage he
and his band of court jesters, masquerading as democrats have done to Ekiti state.
Issue at hand
On the crisis at hand, I have said many times that the present imbroglio was caused by some overlords who felt unhappy about my ascendancy to the position of a Speaker. They believe it has to be through their anointing or endorsement.
In their desperate attempt to remove me, they did not follow the due process. They showed their character as fake democrats and autocratic despots by sponsoring the daylight robbery and the violation of the constitution and the Standing Orders of the House of Assembly.
Because they did not want to allow the wishes of the fifteen members to prevail, they resorted to undemocratic behaviour by using the police and hoodlums to commit that act of treason, illegality and criminality in the state.
They believe that their ignominious actions will go unchallenged because in their warped thinking, they are convinced that they have subdued and conquered Ekiti people.
The choice of Adelugba
- I m not convinced that Rt. Hon. Bunmi Adelugba was the choice of the majority of the leadership of our party. No stakeholders’ meeting was held. It was just the gathering of some few people whose motivation has since been established to be less than noble.
The same party made ranking its choice in 2019 when they chose the late Funminiyi Afuye. The same party jettisoned that this time and preferred to bring someone from behind a senior and ranking member, all in the name of party supremacy. - But some leaders of your party said you should have respected the party decision?
- Like I said before, a political party is a platform that has its rule of engagements. The house of assembly is an institution and an organ of government that also has its rule and standing orders. They operate differently because they have different rules. Before a person can become the candidate for election in a political party, such person must obtain nomination form, participate in primary election but in the house of assembly there’s no primary, once a person is nominated as prescribed by the standing rule of the House, such a person has become a candidate for election.
In fact, I insist, that the party cannot impose or dictate who must be the Speaker or deputy Speaker of a house of assembly.. Don’t forget, the state house of assembly belong to all Ekiti people and not APC, PDP, SDP or any other political party. The party can only advise or lobby members with genuine and logical reasons and not to foist a particular person on the Assembly.
Those arguing in favour of party supremacy may be right on account of political party elections but not in the case of house of assembly election.
For instance, a legislator is expected to give account of his stewardship to his or her constituents not to his party alone. The legislators are representatives of the people, unlike the party executives who are representatives of the party. The Speaker and deputy Speaker are representatives of Ekiti people. - The Deputy Speaker accused you of compromising other members during your election. Is that true?
- That is not true. That statement from the deputy speaker is a reflection of how little minded he is. Otherwise why should he think that his other colleagues needed to be compromised before they can exercise their democratic choice in a free and fair contest.
Hakeem Jamiu is only trying to divert the attention of the discerning Ekiti people from the criminal violation of the rule of law that he and his band of jesters perpetrated under the instruction of their puppet master in hallowed chamber of Ekiti State House of Assembly. I think he should bow his head in shame for his role as kingpin in the criminal subversion of the will of the majority of his colleagues. - Any options now?
- Rather than resort to self help, I have filed action to challenge the illegal impeachment and suspension and I’m convinced that justice will be served.
