May 31, 2015   : Kamarudeen Ogundele
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose
There
 are indications that the embattled 19 members of the Ekiti State House 
of Assembly of the All Progressives Congress extraction have been paid 
their outstanding salaries and allowances by the state government.
SUNDAY PUNCH investigations 
revealed that the lawmakers led by the embattled Speaker, Dr. Adewale 
Ominrin were paid the said allowances sometime last week.
The development, sources told SUNDAY PUNCH,
 was a fallout of the peace meeting the lawmakers held with Ekiti State 
Governor Ayodele Fayose in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The agreement between the warring 
parties according to sources is that once the lawmakers are paid their 
outstanding allowances, they will sheathe their sword and jettison their
 plan to impeach the governor.
The
 struggle for the soul of the state by the two parties had nearly 
paralysed the state with both of them threatening to deal with each 
other.
However, sources disclosed to SUNDAY PUNCH that there is apprehension that the truce may suffer a setback with the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.
There are concerns that the party might 
want to use federal might to unseat the governor who was a pain in the 
neck during campaigns for the president, who was the APC candidate 
though a court had earlier ordered the warring parties to maintain the 
status quo.
The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice 
Ayodeji Daramola, has yet to constitute a panel to investigate the 
allegations of impunity, violence, stalking and other constitutional 
breaches raised against the duo.
Omirin, had in an April 9 letter 
directed the CJ to raise a seven-man panel to investigate the 
allegations within seven days of receipt of the letter.
But barely six days to the end of the life of the Assembly, the CJ has yet to raise the panel as directed.
Checks by SUNDAY PUNCH revealed that the APC lawmakers had decided to keep mum on their next line of action with the transition of power to Buhari.
Fayose was accused of spearheading a 
hate campaign against Buhari in favour of former President Goodluck 
Jonathan, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the March 28 
presidential election.
Both parties have, however, refused to 
comment on the development. It was learnt that both parties had agreed 
not to speak to the press on the matter so as to keep it from the public
 domain.
When contacted on Saturday, Omirin refused to reply to inquiries from our correspondent on the impeachment saga.
However, one of the lawmakers who spoke 
on condition of anonymity, said there was a directive from the party’s 
national leadership not to speak to journalists about the development.
He, however, said the legislators did 
not believe that the governor was seeking a genuine reconciliation with 
them based on the outcome of the peace meeting held in Akure last week.
Asked to comment on insinuations that 
they have been paid, he said, “That is a lie. You don’t know Ayo 
(governor)? Do you think he is ready to pay anybody?”
When contacted on Friday, Fayose said he was not afraid of impeachment as the people of Ekiti were solidly behind him.
Speaking through his Chief Press 
Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor said, “The APC lawmakers should 
be asked if we have been faithful so far. As for us, we are fulfilling 
our own part of the bargain.”
The governor also denied bribing anybody, saying he was seeking a true reconciliation in the interest of the state.
“We did not bribe anybody. We are for 
peace and that is why the governor honoured their invitation to attend a
 meeting in Akure. It is the APC lawmakers that should be asked if they 
will reciprocate the gesture.”
The state’s APC chapter refused to speak about the development on Saturday.
The Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, did not answer calls placed to his telephones.
But his counterpart in the PDP, Mr. Joseph Adaraniwon, said the governor had no impeachment proceedings against him by law.
“Omirin has for long ceased to be the 
Speaker. Hon. Dele Olugbemi is the Speaker of the Assembly. So, Omirin 
lacked the authority to commence anything on behalf of the lawmakers.
“In a Nigeria where the constitution and
 law operate, the governor has no fears at all because the plot against 
him is illegal and unconstitutional.”
 
 
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