10th March, 2011
The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji has denied any involvement in the suspension of a member, Mr. Sakiru Adebanjo (ACN- Epe II).
Adebanjo was suspended on March 3 following a petition read on the floor o f the House, alleging anti-party activities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adebanjo was accused of decamping to the Labour Party and also alleged to have torn ACN campaign posters in Epe.
Adebanjo, Adhoc Committee Chairman on Establishment, Pensions and Public Service, had blamed Ikuforiji (Epe I) for his travails, saying the real “culprit†was the petitioner, who tore his (Adebanjo’s) posters.
But Ikuforiji told NAN on Tuesday night that the relationship between him and the lawmaker was “cordial.â€
“The suspended lawmaker is trying to use blackmail to escape justice.
“If you are in trouble or you create problems for yourself, it is normal in this part of the world that you look for people to blame and that is not part of the issue.
“At a point, I realised he was not coming to the House like any normal member would do for almost a year and I called his attention to it,†he said.
Ikuforiji said further comments would be made after the committee set up by the House to investigate the petition had completed its assignment.
NAN reports that the committee, chaired by the Chief Whip, Dr. Rasaq Balogun, has been given two more weeks to report to the house.
