Nigerian Lawlessness: 11 Ogun Lawmakers Pass N106bn Budget -Vanguard

DESPITE the closure of the Ogun State House of Assembly by the Presidency, the Group of 11 legislators , Tuesday, gained access to the Assembly complex under heavy security and passed the N106 billion Appropriation Bill for year 2011.

The House had been closed down since September 7th on the order of President Goodluck Jonathan to prevent a break down of law and order following the early morning sitting on Monday September 6th 2011 by a Group of nine law makers who removed the Speaker; Mr. Tunji Egbetokun and suspended him with 14 other.

The Nine lawmakers also appointed their own Speaker in Mr. Soyemi Coker prompting the remaining 15 lawmakers to fix their sitting for the following day to counter the move before the Presidency then ordered the closure.

But at about 10.25 am, Tuesday, the 11 lawmakers led by the factional Speaker; Mr. Soyemi Coker,  driving in two unmarked buses and accompanied by heavily armed policemen gained entrance into the complex using the back gate and passed the Appropriation Bill.

Newsmen who got wind of the planned sitting and had laid siege to the House were prevented from entering while the House was in session till about 1.05 pm when the lawmakers drove out through the main gate in the same convoy of vehicles that brought them to the complex.

While the sitting lasted, the complex swarmed with heavily armed policemen and men of the State Security Service, SSS.

But Speaker Tunji Egbetokun in a swift reaction declared that the sitting was a continuation of the illegalities being perpetrated and accused the security agencies of conniving with the lawmakers to perpetuate the illegality.

Egbetokun said that the Mace which is the symbol of the house was still in his possession adding that he would hand it over to the next administration in the state.