Ekiti: PDP Lawmaker Bags Six-Week Suspension For Interrupting Speaker

The Ekiti House of Assembly on Tuesday banned former Deputy Speaker and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Segun Adewumi, representing Ekiti West constituency 1, for six weeks for alleged legislative misconduct.

The suspension of the former
Deputy Speaker was attributed to undue interruption of the Speaker, Hon
Adeniran Alagbada, while presiding over the House at the plenary on
Tuesday.

Following altercation between the two high-profile
members of the legislative arm, the Speaker was said to have exercised
his powers and banned him in accordance with section 17 of the house’s
standing order.

According to the Speaker, the former Deputy
Speaker during the period on suspension will be prevented from
participating in any plenary session, but could only be involved in
off-plenary activities of the house.

“I am still the presiding
officer of this house and it constitutes an infraction for any member to
interrupt me when I preside, except you have an observation to make.

“But
with what transpired today, it seems Hon. Adewumi did not make any
observation but only wanted to stall this proceeding and he is hereby
banned for six weeks”.

Other lawmakers, in their submissions,
agreed, with the action, saying the Speaker didn’t circumvent the
constitution and standing order in meting out the punitive measure on
Adewumi.

After the pronouncement, the lawmaker was said to have been ushered out of the hallowed chambers by the sergeant-at-arms.

Discussing
other issues of public importance after the initial snag, a bill for a
law to repeal Ekiti state official logo amendment law number 28 of 2014
and to re-enact Ekiti state government official logo law 2011 was passed
by the Assembly.

The bill, which passed through the first
reading, was subjected to the second reading where it was debated by
members and consequently passed through the third reading.

Also,
the Ekiti state development and investment promotion Agency Bill 2019
also passed through the first reading and committed to another
legislative day for further legislative processes.

However, the
screening and confirmation of some political appointees at the House
fixed for today was shifted on the request of the Executive.