By; NIYI OGUNGBOLA, Abeokuta.
The Ogun State House of Assembly has ordered for the immediate sack of the state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Arch. Lekan Adegbite for his disrespect and arrogant behaviour meted out to the Committee of the Whole House when he appeared before it on Thursday.
While passing a vote of no confidence” on Arc. Adegbite, the Assembly also asked that the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun should demand the commissioner to handover, all necessary documents and paraphernalia of office at his disposal to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works.
The Majority Leader of the House, Honourable Adeyinka Mafe, moved the motion of no confidence which was seconded by Honourable Tunde Sanusi and finally supported by the entire lawmakers.
In moving the motion for the commissioner’s suspension, Hon. Mafe said Acr. Adegbite had conducted himself before the Committee of the Whole House in a manner perceived as improper and unfit of a commissioner of the state and as such should cease to be an ambassador of the state.
“Giving the totality of the submission of over 2/3 majority members of this House and deriving the power from the provision of the Constitutions; Section 192. This noble House hereby, resolved that in the opinion of the House, a vote of no confidence is hereby passed on Architect Olamilekan Adegbite for his conduct perceived as improper to be a commissioner”.
“And this House advice His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun to immediately suspend the commissioner and cause him to handover all the paraphernalia of office to the Permanent Secretary and ceases to parade himself as the commissioner of Ogun state”.
The Assembly had earlier invited four commissioners in the state to appear before it and shed light on the need to expedite action on the state of roads across the state with a view to setting pace for the year 2017 budget estimate.
Those commissioners invited included Adegbite himself, that of the Special Duties, Barrister Adeleke Adewolu; that of the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko as well as that of the Budget and Planning, Ms. Adenrele Adesina.
While fielding questions from the lawmakers on Thursday, Adegbite demanded for an apology from the House’ Committee of the Whole, presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Olakunle Oluomo must tender an apology for keeping him and the two other commissioners waiting outside for about 45 minutes before he could proceed to answer them.
When the lawmakers also asked him to provide explanation to the questions asked and stop addressing another issue, the commissioner resulted to abusing the lawmakers, calling them more unprintable names, saying “you are all fools”.
The development however, infuriated the assembly members, who later converged at the office of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Suraju Adekunbi where they took position and headed straight for the plenary session where they eventually demanded for his suspension.
During the debate on his suspension at the plenary session however, the lawmakers argued that the sanctity of the State Assembly must be protected and one of the ways to do so is to sanction Adegbite.
