ONDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKERSHIP: Akindele resigns, insists Coker too must go

Embattled Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Jumoke Akindele has resigned, bringing the speakership tussle in the House to an end.

Her decision comes just a few days after the state’s new Governor Rotimi Akeredolu recognised Malachi Coker as the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, a move she vehemently protested, insisting she remains the speaker of the House.

Her resignation however may not end the crisis in the House as her faction has also insisted that Coker who is in acting capacity must also resign.

In the resignation letter jointly signed by Akindele and five other principal officers of the Assembly, they demanded that Coker’s faction should also resign setting the stage for another round of in-fighting.

The Assembly was plunged into crisis, dividing it into two factions after Mrs. Akindele was impeached in January by some lawmakers over allegations of financial mis-appropriation and was replaced immediately by Coker as acting speaker.

Since that action, the Assembly has had to contend with a speakership battle between Mrs. Akindele and Coker, leaving it a shadow of itself.

The crisis appeared to have been deepened following the alleged recognition of Corker by Governor Akeredolu.

The governor was said to have in his speech during the inauguration of the Secretary to the State Government on Friday recognised Coker as the Speaker.

The governor’s action did not go down well with the faction loyal to Akindele who labelled his recognition of Corker as Speaker as an act of unlawfulness.

However, just few days after the governor’s action, embattled Speaker Akindele on Monday officially resigned her position as the leader of the Assembly.

Akindele, who happened to be the first female Speaker in Ondo State, sent her letter of resignation along five principal officers of the Assembly to Governor Akeredolu.

The five principal officers who resigned along with her were Deputy Speaker, Mr. Fatai Olotu; the Majority Leader, Mr. Ifedayo Akinsoyinu; the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Obadiah Vincent; the Whip, Mrs. Adesanya Kemisola and the Assistant Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Towase Kuti.

“Our resignation has become imperative in the face of the new geographical configuration of the state so that peace, which is the hallmark of any administration, will continue to reign in the land. Moreover, we are desirous of moving the state forward for the benefit of our people,” part of the letter read.

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