After nine days of travail, the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, on Friday returned to his office after perfecting his bail conditions.
On Tuesday, the Speaker of the Assembly, was granted bail by a High Court in Lagos, after he was arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos
Mr Oluomo who is standing trial over the alleged mismanagement of public funds of over N2.4 billion was granted a N300 million bail.
The judge, Daniel Osiagor, said the speaker must produce two sureties, one of whom must not be less than a level 16 civil servant in the Federal Civil Service.
The judge also granted N100 million bail each to Mr Oluomo’s co-defendants, Samuel Oladayo, and Taiwo Adeyemo, with two sureties, one of whom must not be less than level 14 in the civil service.
The judge further added that all the defendants be kept in the custody of the EFCC for one week for them all to perfect the conditions of their bail, else be transferred to a correctional facility in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun state.
On Thursday morning, our reporter gathered that the deputy speaker, Akeem Balogun, summoned an emergency meeting which made legislators converge at the Assembly only for the meeting to be cancelled hours after 1:00 p.m. when the meeting was scheduled to commence.
When our reporter visited the assembly, journalists were, however, locked out of the Assembly premises. They were asked to call the press officer, before they can be allowed into the Assembly against the usual practice.
A lawmaker, who preferred not to be mentioned, told our reporter that the meeting did not hold, causing anger among some of them.
On Friday, when the speaker appeared at the Assembly complex in Oke mosan, Abeokuta, he was welcomed by the Assembly staffers.
Speaking on behalf of the Assembly staff, the Chairman of the State chapter of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Ayotunde Ojediran, said that the workers were happy to receive the Speaker, as well as the Assembly Clerk, Adedeji Adeyemo, and the Director of Finance, Samuel Oladayo, back to their offices.
Mr Ojediran also appreciated the members of staff for remaining resolute in keeping the House running while the trio were away.
‘Allow the court decide’
In a statement by Mr Oluomo minutes after his arrival, the House leader said he maintains his innocence until the court rules on the matter.
The speaker also attacked the suspended deputy speaker, Dare Kadir, describing his petition at the EFCC, as “hyperbolic.”
“By law, I am not the Accounting Officer of the House, for emphasis, the House under my leadership operates only one bank account since 2019, through which running cost and allowances are paid directly into the bank accounts of individual Honourable members and staff of the House including the petitioner.
“Also, charges 10 and 11 are for the Eighth legislature before I became the Speaker.”
Speaking on his reason for refusing to honour the EFCC’s repeated invitations, Mr Oluomo said the anti-graft agency’s method of inviting him is, “against section 36 of the Constitution and we challenged it in court, this is in the public domain as it was widely reported but the EFCC refused to wait for the pronouncement in that case before taking further steps, despite having joined issues with us in court.
“I have always been disciplined and upright in my position, conduct and dealings with people, I shall continue to remain myself with truth and honour as my goal. I thank everyone that showed love and concern in the last few days. Thanks and God bless you all.”
