Pedro Begs Lagos Assembly To Reverse His Impeachment

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Thursday, July 2nd, 2015

Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Otunba Femi Pedro on Thursday appealed to the state House of Assembly to revisit the impeachment sanction levelled against him by the 5th Assembly in 2007.

Pedro was impeached by the state House of Assembly during the tail end of the tenure of former Governor Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In a letter read on the floor of the House by the Clerk, Ganiyu Abiru, the ex-deputy governor made a plea for the House to revisit his impeachment as a way of being compassionate.

According to the Clerk, the letter from the former deputy governor was attached with his letter of resignation while leaving his office.

Debating the matter on the floor of the House, Hon. Rotimi Olowo, Shomolu I, told his colleagues to reverse the impeachment, arguing that the tone of the letter showed that the former governor was remorseful of his action while in office.

He said Pedro is his close friend and is upright in character, saying that the purpose of carrying out the impeachment then was not based on fraud or criminal tendencies.

“The purpose of the impeachment is not traceable to fraud or misconduct, probably because of high-handedness or lack of respect for constituted authority. Mr. Speaker, I suggest we set up an Ad-hoc committee to either sustain or revisit the resolution of the 5th Assembly,” he stated.

Speaking also, Hon. Moshood Oshun, Lagos Mainland II said due process needed to be followed before taking decision on the matter.

According to him, “we can’t base any submission on an assumption. Though, the tone of the letter is an appeal, yet an Ad-hoc committee would have to be set up to look into the issue critically.”

Another lawmaker, Hon. Abiodun Tobun did not support Pedro’s letter as he believed that the 5th assembly did the right thing, urging his colleagues to tread cautiously, saying that “many of us were not here when the House took the decision. We have to look critically at the circumstances surrounding the impeachment process so that we do not err.”

Speaker of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa constituted 8-man ad-hoc committee headed by the Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade to look into the matter.

Other members of the committee includes: Desmond Elliot, Surulere I, Folajimi Mohammed Ikeja I, Muyiwa Jimoh Apapa II, Kazeem Alimi, Eti-Osa I, Shokunle Hakeem, Oshodi-Isolo I, Gbolahan Yishawu Eti-Osa II and Moshood Oshun Lagos Mainland II.